Chasing Shadows
by Miracles79
Summary: What hides within the darkness? What stalks its prey through land, water and snow? What leaves a trail of blood and destruction in its wake without remaining to receive the attention? Arendelle will learn soon enough. Anna x Elsa! More information can be found in the Author's Notes at the end of the first chapter.
1. Chapter 1

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Frozen

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Chasing Shadows

By Miracles79.

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Chapter 1: Blade in Winter

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Disclaimer: The characters used in this Fan Fic are owned by Walt Disney Animation Studios. I own nothing but the story that is contained within these words, if that.

Author's Note: For information on this story please read the Author's Note at the end of the chapter. But not before as it will ruin your enjoyment of the first chapter. Thank you very much and I hope you enjoy Chasing Shadows.

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Snow.

A white canvas of snow blanketed the terrain, reducing the previously lush and green forest to a pale powder. The shapes of trees disappearing from view as they withered and decayed in the evening moonlight. Elongated shadows contorting the barren wasteland to give it a more demonic aesthetic. No sound emanated from these woods, not even the chirping of birds overhead. Life no longer had a place in this forgotten forest. Winter had long since claimed it.

Nothing could withstand the ferocity of winter's onslaught. After all, who could stand to be in a forest where gale forces winds could tear flesh from bone? Where hypothermia and frost bite were not only a possibility but rather an undeniable certainty?

The answer was simple; no one. No one would come to such a place.

"…"

At least not of their own free will.

"…"

As on this night, one lone figure could be seen standing among these withered trees. The figure was fully cloaked, her breathing shallow, her body undisturbed by the biting wind that tore at her rags. She stood motionless, a hand pressed against a nearby tree as her eyes roamed the waste. With careful precision, the figure manoeuvred past a fallen tree and further into the forest. The figure would stop on occasion and place her hands against the snow, eyes scanning the environment as undiscernible sounds echoed in the distance.

The sounds were hard to distinguish at first; in amongst the wailing of the wind and the echoes of starved wolves was… something else. The sound had an unmistakably human quality to it, but the figure could not tell from which direction it came. The sound seemed to reverberate around the entire forest, one moment it would emanate from the north, the next it would come from the east. The forest was playing tricks on her, she knew this well, but there was little that could be done about that. This was unfamiliar territory, even for someone of her reputation and skill.

Having decided her path, the figure waded through the deep layer of snow, each footfall requiring more pressure to allow her continued progress. With every step she took the figure's garb blew all around her, the wind inching its way through the gaps to a vast expanse of skin. The cold bit deeply but the figure barely even grimaced, her mind and body were now separate. She had trained for climates such as this. Winter would not claim another victim, not on this day.

Crouching as the figure passed through more forest debris, a sudden belching laugh stopped her in her tracks. The sound had come from nearby and, as luck would have it, the figure noticed a distant flame lying further to the west. That must have been where the sound had come from. Taking another look around her vicinity – with the familiar decaying forest being all she could see – the figure set a path towards the distant fire. Keeping herself small and to the ground, the figure took refugee behind a nearby rock and peered towards the source of the noise.

This was no lone fire to keep stragglers warm. No, the fire was positioned at the base of a large campsite. The campsite itself was littered with soldiers bearing a coat of arms that she knew all too well. _This must be it_ , the figure thought, leaning back against the safety and seclusion of the rock.

Removing the mask that covered her mouth, the figure pierced her eyes together and searched the vast group of soldiers. She couldn't see him. In fact, it was so cold, and the mist that surrounded the camp so dense, that the figure had trouble recognising any of their faces. This was no good. She couldn't see anything from this far off vantage point. She had to get closer.

Ducking back behind the rock, the figure reached below her garb and pulled out a single thin blade. She held the blade close, its edge running along the length of her forearm and towards her elbow. This was her one advantage against these soldier's – the element of surprise her only ally. But the figure knew to stay her blade, for now, it would only be used as a last resort.

Leaning against the rock, wisps of strawberry brown hair escaping from her garb, the figure waited for an opening.

"…"

 _Not yet_ , the figure warned.

"…"

 _Now!_

With as much secrecy as she could muster, the figure pushed herself from the rock and moved towards the camp. Analysing her surroundings, the figure positioned herself closer to the camp, using an overgrown bush as shelter. The voices were louder, more legible now. Surely she was close enough.

Leaning her head over the bush, the figure now had a clear view of the small camping settlement. But the sight that greeted her azure blue eyes was far from welcoming. The camp was practically infested by soldiers. The soldiers - clad in armour of various builds - could be seen drunkenly singing around a campfire, tearing flesh from a creature that spun atop a spit.

 _Damn it!_

This was supposed to be a routine mission. A simple; 'locate the target and acquire the information by any means necessary' kind of mission. But no, things couldn't be as simple as that, could they? The Guild must have known about this, or had at least some inkling to that affect. Why else would they have sent her – the deadliest assassin of the Guild – on what appeared to be a simple retrieval mission?

The answer was obvious; they wouldn't. A mission of this scale would be left to the Guild's underlings or assassin's in training. Not the Guild's sharpest blade. Which meant… there was more to this mission then she had previously envisioned. Was that why they Guild masters had her told her not to open the scroll until after she had reached this destination?

 _Well, she was here now. So… no time like the present._

Reaching into her garb's innermost pocket, the figure withdrew the rolled up scroll and placed it on the ground. Cutting through the string with one swipe of her blade, the figure kneeled before it and surveyed the writing within.

 _ASSIGNMENT:_

 _1). Locate the wolves of Cyradil_

 _2). Locate their leader; Raphael Jacquez_

 _3). Interrogate Raphael Jacquez until he reveals his employer and/or benefactor_

 _4). Deliver a swift end to Raphael Jacquez and the remaining members of the wolves of Cyrdil_

 _This mission is of the utmost importance. Failure to complete this task will result in your expulsion and death._

 _P.S. Anna, on completion of your task you are hereby ordered to continue your pursuit of Raphael's employer. Follow the trail. Wherever he goes, you too shall go. We will correspond in five moons hence._

Along with the thinly written message was a drawing of the target, one Raphael Jacquez. This man was totally different from the target she had previously been tasked with capturing. Secrecy and deception were not uncommon in her circles but it was still frustrating none the less. Why did the Guild fell it necessary to hide such important details to the last minute? Did they want to see how well she improvised? Was this another one of their stupid tests?

 _Enough! Focus… Focus!_

Inhaling deeply, Anna took a moment to admire the carefully detailed portrait before she returned it to her garb. She would not need the picture any longer as his image had been implanted in her mind, he would not escape her scrutiny. Shifting her body to lean over the bush once more, Anna searched the crowd.

It didn't take long before her eyes fell upon her intended target. The man, Raphael Jacquez, could be seen nursing his flask while sat beside the campfire. He was joined by his men who contributed to the evening's festivities by singing drunkenly about the fall of Skriad, an old kingdom that was torched to the ground many years ago. The song was clearly popular among the men, seeing as it involved rape, slaughter, pillaging and the death of the once popular king at the hands of his enemy.

Anna watched each soldier's movements, recognising patterns or even the slightest limp that could play to her advantage. Three of the soldier's had their limbs loosely wrapped in bandages but, far better than that, almost all of the soldiers were heavily inebriated. A good sign.

Shifting position to get a clearer view of her target, Anna observed him with pierced eyes. He looked no more than fifty, a jagged scar reaching from the corner of his eye to the smooth contour of his chin. He wore heavy armour and a great sword on his back, his choice of weapon no doubt. Despite the singing of his command, the man continued to down his drink, smiling as the soldier's howled and sang songs of equalling vulgarity.

This would be difficult, Anna surmised.

Raphael showed no signs of leaving the group, so chances of isolating him from the rest of the pack were minimal at this stage. (An unfortunate set of events as that was Anna's preferred method of hunting.)

She couldn't simply charge into the camp and initiate open combat with Raphael and his entire guard, seeing as they outnumbered her twenty to one. That would have only led to her untimely death, and at the hands of inferior opponents no less. An embarrassment that she would not wish her name to be tarnished with.

"Okay, come on. Think. There has to be another way."

Hmm… She could try to sneak into the camp, eliminating as many soldier's as possible, before…

No, that wouldn't work either. The soldiers were too compact. A few remained isolated but the risk was too high. She would have been caught in no time, either in the act or in her attempts to hide their fallen comrades.

As Anna mulled over her options, she suddenly recognised another problem that would completely eliminate all previous methods of attack. Ducking behind the cover of the bush, Anna kept her ear to the ground and listened closely. Yeah, this would be a very significant problem. Their voices really did carry.

As Anna crawled towards the edge of her shelter, she leaned over and eyed the two cages situated at the corner of the camp.

 _As if one cage wasn't enough_ , Anna whined internally.

…

Inside the first cage - batting angrily against their small confines - were dogs, wild and feverish dogs. Their mouths stained with dry blood and bits of meat. Clearly trained to hunt and kill when the time called for it. This wasn't good. These vile beasts would have alerted the entire camp the moment they had seen her. No second chances, no 'Oh, I must have been seeing things' they would have brought the entire camp on her head.

"Well, shit!"

And if that wasn't problematic enough there was the appearance of the second cage, which rested beside the cage filled with rabid dogs. This cage held a human component to it, in the shape of several scantily clad women. The women were of varying ages; some very young (16 at the youngest) while others were much older. They had barely any clothing, goose bumps climbing up their arms as they froze in the cold winds.

Anna grimaced, they too would be a problem.

Much like the rabid animals nearby, the women would have also drawn attention to her. The only difference being that they would have not intended it on purpose. She would have to, somehow, avoid their line of sight too. It was unfortunate, and Anna understood their desperation, but it was not beneficial to the mission. If they so much as saw her they would have clamoured over one another to gain her attention, begging her to release them from their confinement. The commotion would have drawn the guards to her and then her life would have been forfeit.

 _Well look on the Brightside_ , Anna mused, _at least I only have soldiers to contend with. No archers or mages to deal with. Happy days._

Struggling to come up with a reasonable plan, Anna observed the camp, looking for anything that could be used to her advantage. Anything that could sow the seeds to even the birthing of a plan. Anything that could…

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"HAHAHA I told you," A soldier laughed, knocking over his friend's pint as he pointed to his retreating comrade. "The stupid mutt can't drink for shit! HAHAHA!"

As Anna watched the man stumble into the forest, puke falling on the ground behind him, a plan suddenly formed in her mind. This was it. This was her chance. The man was leaving the safety of the group. He was isolating himself. This… This was the perfect opportunity.

Realising her chance could slip away at any moment, Anna tightened the hold on her blade and shuffled towards her prey. Anna moved at speed, carefully skirting the perimeter of the camp, using any available rocks or bushes as cover. Further into the forest she drew. With slower footfalls Anna located the lone soldier; heaving and vomiting against a nearby tree. Giving a small prayer of thanks, Anna tightened her grip around the blade and gathered speed.

It all happened in a flash.

As the man regained his breath - thankful that the worst was now over – Anna pounced. With an incredible swiftness, Anna removed the soldier's helm from his face and plunged her blade into the man's eye socket. The angle of the blade pushed itself into the soldier's brain, and he died upon impact, no sound leaving his lips. The man's body shuddered before going limp, his weight falling back against her.

The strike had been swift and clean but still Anna looked back towards the camp, making sure no one had followed their friend's path. The path before her was as empty as it had always been, just the familiar sight of withered trees swaying in the breeze. She could continue undisturbed. So with great care Anna placed the body down against the snow, face first to ensure the blood did not stain the metal or scraps of leather. Kneeling over the body, the redhead pressed against the gouged socket with a cloth.

She had to stem the flow of blood, the armour had to look clean and untarnished. Blood would have given her away.

Listening carefully for any changes in her proximity, Anna pulled off her garb and rested it on the branch of a nearby tree. The thin, tattered layer of clothing that remained on her person blew violently in the wind. A shuddering breath leaving her lips as the cold hit her full on. Rubbing her arms to stimulate the flow of blood, Anna moved to unclasp the armour and put it on one at a time. Starting from the breastplate – which had to be fastened to the arms – before finishing with the legs. The process had taken a little longer than anticipated and yet no one had come to check on their friend.

 _Hmm, shows how much they care about you_ , Anna shrugged, rolling her joints as her feet began to sink into the snow.

Boy, this armour was heavy, like, ridiculously heavy. She could barely even move in this thing without sinking. In a test of this armours range of mobility, Anna began to sway her arms up and down before proceeding to twist her hips side to side. Man, this thing had no mobility what so ever. Marching on the spot, Anna felt an immense pressure weighing down on her. Suddenly this plan didn't feel as full-proof as she had previously thought.

Well, it was a little too late to have second thoughts about it now. She was already in her armour and had just killed one of their soldier's. They would come looking for him if he – or in this case someone else – didn't come marching back to camp. Turning towards the last piece of equipment, Anna reached for the soldier's helm and grabbed it at the second attempt. The thing felt sharp in her hand but she ignored this fear and pulled on the helm.

Despite a little visual impairment Anna was relatively pleased with the ensemble. She looked just like one of those soldier's and nobody could prove otherwise. So – ignoring the obvious fact that the armour was slightly too big for her – Anna walked over to the deceased soldier and placed him behind the base of a massive tree. There were, unfortunately, no bushes big enough to cover his body so Anna had to make do.

Having completed this first step, Anna began to walk towards camp, her movement almost robotic in appearance. Yeah, she would really fit in. Thankfully, the soldier's didn't appear to be the brightest in the bunch, so Anna doubted they would realise her deception. Coupled with the fact that they were now clearly swaying, and looking very, very drunk – Anna looked like she was on to a winner.

As she approached the camp, Anna tucked a small blade beneath the cuff of her chainmail. It would remain out of sight, conspicuous, till the moment it was needed. Surveying her area, Anna caught sight of a lone man on the outskirts of the camp, completely unaware of her presence. So, with softer footfalls, Anna changed course towards the man, the blade lowering in preparation. In the blink of an eye, Anna had slit the man's throat and dragged him behind the shelter of a nearby tent. The motion had been seamless, the soldier's breathing no more.

 _On to the next one…_

Creeping toward the edge of the tent, Anna sat in wait, analysing her next move. The largest group still remained preoccupied around the campfire, but there were now a few stragglers littered about the place. Not to mention a number of soldier's had either taken to bed or drunkenly fallen unconscious. All were now easy targets, each one of them evenly spaced out. She would have to be quick of course but she knew the odds were in her favour.

Eyes selecting her next target, Anna became momentarily distracted when she heard a loud pitched scream. Turning in its direction, Anna's features soured. A small group of soldier's had now turned to goading the women who were held captive in their cage. They threw old decaying fruit and bread at them, while others busied themselves with making very unflattering hand gestures. It was disgusting, of course, but for Anna this too could be seen as an advantage.

After all, the group of three would be keep themselves entertained for a while, leaving them, effectively, out of the picture. And through their actions the women would be occupied, unable to observe her snooping. She had to ignore them, for now, but she would kill those guards by the end of the night. Anna was certain of that.

Returning to her previous inspection, Anna selected a new target and stepped away from the small tent. Making sure to blend in, Anna drunkenly staggered across the campsite, picking up a stray flask from the floor to better fit the image. No one suspected her, everyone was either too drunk or believed her to be one of them. This was good, she could thin the herd significantly before pouncing on Raphael. It was only a matter of time now.

Reaching her target, Anna sat beside him, taking a drink from her non-existent ale. The soldier ignored her, his attention on the roasting rat on the fire. The fire was smaller than the main one, where the larger group remained, but it was a welcome relief. Taking her time, Anna reached for the short knife on the table while her other hand grabbed a spare, dirty bowl that lay beside it.

Eyes turning towards the soldier, Anna grimaced as she saw specks of food dribble from his lips and to the floor. He was clearly famished, or had very poor table skills. The sauce matted his chin, made grimy by mud and the ale that clung to his breath. In fact, what made the image even worse was that he was eating the rat with the fur still on. Now, Anna knew very little about cooking but surely, surely, you would remove the skin before consumption.

 _Disgusting! I will take great pleasure in ridding you from this world,_ Anna thought.

However, just as she was about to strike, her eyes caught sight of another approaching soldier. So, being careful to reposition her knife, Anna stayed her hand. The time to act had passed, for the moment – Anna would have to wait just a little bit longer. So, trying to look like one of these disgusting rabble, Anna sat up and clumsily cut into the skewered rat.

"Oi, you,"

"…"

Anna bristled, her eyes falling to the man who was now standing far too close behind her. Fearing that her cover had been blown, Anna tightened her grip around the knife before turning her attention to the giant of a man.

The man, looked at Anna carefully, before motioning behind her. "Cut me a slice, piss stain. A big one."

Relief washing over her, Anna merely grunted in response and returned to work. Acting quickly. Anna started to cut into the meat before placing it in the prepared bowl. The fluids from the creature rushed down her arm upon contact but she refused to grimace or make any sounds of her displeasure. The rat had not even been properly cooked for god sake, in fact its blood was now seeping through her chainmail.

The soldier, however, did not seem to mind, and gave Anna a heavy slap on the back in thanks. The force almost caused her to stumble into the fire, had it not been for her quick reflexes then Anna would have joined the rat on the spit. The sight caused a few laughs from the nearby soldier's. Clearly this was how they treated each other. How had there not been a mutiny or at least a case of friendly fire?

Ignoring this thought, Anna busied herself with cutting another portion of rat. She was still being stared at by the other soldiers nearby. Their glances were not suspicious, but filled with humour because apparently her slip was the funniest thing of the whole day. How action packed their lives must have been.

"So, when do we leave?" One of the guard's beside her asked. Anna's attention switching to the conversation.

"Oh, won't be long now. Better enjoy the warmth while you still can, pup."

Laughing the soldier, nudged his neighbour. "Very funny. I doubt any place could be as cold as this."

"Are you kidding me?!" The eldest said, Anna's ears perking up as she listened in. "You wait boy! You think this is cold then I fear for you. You wait till we reach the docks."

"The docks? I thought we were entering a city?"

"We are boyo, one of the greatest cities in our kingdom. Full of wealth, riches… and little crime. No place like it, my man. Would be a paradise too were it not for that Queen."

Her attention no longer on the rat, Anna glanced towards the pair.

"The Queen? What's wrong with the Queen?"

"Well, how do I put this?" The man pondered, talking through his mouthful. "She's fucking insane. A hottie mind you but the bitch is fucking crazy. Has some… fucked up powers too. Created an entire army of these… I don't know… Ice… Monsters… wiped out all opposition."

"Holy shit! No… Wait… Your bullshitting me, aren't you?"

Laughing, the man put down his bowl. "No word of a lie. Girl lost her shit when she killed her sister. Then her parents. Uncontrollable now. She's a fucking tyrant. Her own people fear for their lives but what can you do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well," He continued. "She's paranoid. You leave without her consent then she'll send one of her monsters after you. Fucking killer that one, but not our problem. We are simply here to meet up with our contact then get back to Haven."

Intrigued by their conversation, Anna momentarily forgot herself before quickly turning back to the spit. It was a slip up on her part but one that did not draw any suspicion to her. A lucky break indeed. She was not acting like herself, this mission should have been completed quite some time ago. But still, what those two soldier's had talked about had brought more clarity to her situation.

 _So, they're planning to meet up with their contact? Could this be the employer that the Guild was talking about?_

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As the two soldier's resumed their talk – some poppy-cock about some mythical Queen - Anna leaned back and sat in between them. Both soldier's looked at one another, puzzled, but before they could ask what she was doing; a knife and blade were plunged into the back of their necks. Then, resting her arms around their shoulders, Anna leaned them forward and pretended to be in conversation. Several eyes turned in their direction but never stayed long, returning to their trivial talk, unaware that two of their soldiers were now dead. Thankfully, the blade and knife stopped the spill of blood from issuing forth – as they were still stuck in their backs.

When the time was right, Anna quickly removed the knives, and dragged their carcasses into a nearby tent. Once again, Anna held the blood at bay with the palm of her hand before placing them on separate sleeping mats. She replaced her hands with more cloth, which would stem the flow of blood for a time. It mattered little though. The soldier's would all fall by the time the blood spilled from their necks. _Now three lay dead_ , Anna thought, _seventeen more to go._

Washing the blood off her hands in a flask of ale, Anna moved out of the tent. No one suspected a thing. Unsurprising as, to any onlooker, it would have seemed as if three soldiers were holding themselves together as they staggered towards the sleeping quarters. Nothing amiss in that as many of the soldier's had returned to their beds in a similar state.

As Anna moved through the campsite, she noticed another tent much like the last one. A sleeping quarter of some kind. The only difference being that this tent was full of soldiers who were now fast asleep, dead to the world around them. The chance was too good to pass up. She counted at least three soldiers inside. So, surveying her area, Anna slipped inside and silenced them one by one. The odds were starting to look a lot better now.

Six down… fourteen to go…

The herd had been thinned quite satisfactorily, and what's more none of the soldier's had even noticed the disappearance of their soldiers. With good reason too because, to their untrained eye, it would have appeared as if the soldiers had fallen asleep after a long day. They would never have suspected foul play. At least not until it was too late.

A few more and she could take them remaining soldiers on. Anna was an expert with twin blades, after all, and even ten of these so called veterans could not hold a candle to her. She had defeated knights single-handedly in open combat. There was no challenge here. No fear of failure to be had.

Turning her attention towards the soldier's near the cage – who continued their relentless abuse – Anna moved forwards. As she was about to close the distance, her eyes caught something in her peripheral vision. Lying against a large table were an impressive assortment of weapons of all shapes and sizes. What were these things doing here out in the open? Wait? Was this their Armoury?

Changing direction, Anna searched through the small inventory. A plan beginning to formulate in her mind. One that would make this boring – and cold – adventure a little more exciting. Enough with stealth, the time had come for some action. So, rummaging through the inventory, Anna picked out three small throwing knives and the last remaining bomb. The bomb in question contained some sort of gas - from what Anna could tell - but it was not written in the roster. The item was probably sneaked in, lucky for her.

Edging towards the seclusion of a nearby tent, Anna carefully removed her armour. The pressure exerted on her body now lifted to allow for a greater range of movement. In fact, she felt… lighter… lighter than she had ever been. Although the thin layer of tattered clothing offered little protection, Anna knew it would serve her better than any armour. None of their blades would pierce her skin, she was simply too agile. The armour, however, would have greatly hindered her ability to manoeuvre. She relied heavily on her agility and speed during battle, without it she would be killed immediately.

Taking a deep breath, Anna stepped out of the tent and turned towards the three occupied soldiers. In one hand, Anna held three throwing knives equally balanced along her palm, pointing at their intended targets. In the other, Anna held the bomb behind her back.

The time had finally come…

 _Time to play._

Exhaling, Anna opened her eyes and threw the three separate throwing at their intended targets. All died upon impact, the knives piercing the back of their necks, just under the gap of their helmets. As the three men began to fall to the ground, Anna threw the bomb up into the air with her left hand. Using the force of the first throw, Anna twirled in place, caught the bomb and hurled it into the large campfire with her right.

…

…

 **BBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!**

The bomb ignited on impact, the detonation radius expanding due to the contact with the campfire. The force of the bomb caused the entire ground to shake, bodies were propelled backwards, blood spraying in a sea of red. Screams of pain echoed around the campsite amongst the static created by the blast. Soldier's gripped their bloodied extremities, limbs separated from their hosts and blood pooled onto the ground.

…

"Ahh! FUCK!"

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"F-FUCK! M-MY LEG! MY FUCKING LEG!"

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"Ahh! H-HELP! I CAN'T B… I CAN'T BREATHE! I CAN'T BREATHE!"

…

More soldiers came, crawling to their feet, all eyes set on the lone redhead with a set of twin blades in her hands. Among them was none other than Raphael Jacquez, unstained by the carnage that had befallen his comrades. Unsurprising as he had returned to his sleeping quarters far earlier in the night. Anna had been very well aware of that.

…

Nine down, five wounded… and six remaining.

The odds were now firmly in her favour.

"W-What happened?! Who are you?" Her target shouted, withdrawing his sword from its confinement the moment he noticed Anna.

He appeared stunned, the carnage that surrounded him had been unexpected and he simply couldn't comprehend what was happening. To further compound the issue there was a small slight women standing directly in front of him, a pair of blades in both hands. She was covered in blood, the blood of his men stained her tattered clothing. And yet she saw no fear in her eyes, no trepidation. Nothing but cold ice.

"Who are you?!" Raphael repeated, angered by the young woman's silence.

"That's none of your concern."

Laughing, bitterly, as he stooped to check on one of his wounded soldier's, Raphael glared back at her. "'None of my concern?' You have some nerve girl!"

"More than you know." Anna said, looking towards the young soldier who died moments after Raphael checked on him. The cries of his men and the roar of the fire all that could be heard within her proximity.

Scrutinising her silently, Raphael moved forwards. "You did this to my men?! You killed my men!?"

"…"

Gritting his teeth, Raphael continued. "Why? Is this some act of vengeance?!"

"…" Anna remained silent – uninterested – as she turned her eyes to look at the remaining soldier's. Some were already wounded from the blast, while others looked fearful; their eyes watering as they took in the crumpled flesh and burnt corpses all around them.

"Are you even listening to me!?" Raphael screamed, before a vindictive smile crossed his lips. "Did we kill your mommy and daddy, little girl?! Is that why you did this? Or did one of my boys spread your legs and give you a good fucking during our last pillaging run?!

"No."

"Really now," Raphael scoffed. "You could have fooled me, you come to me wearing torn clothing, after all."

"I would not be so concerned about my clothing."

"I'm not! I only wish to know why you have taken to robbing me of my men!"

"They were in the way!"

…

Scowling, Raphael looked back at the devastation. The dead lying in broken bits around the camp, cries of agony reverberating around the enclosed space. Half his men lay dead or injured, and this girl was the cause. This thin, dainty girl had been responsible for such an atrocity.

"I will take great pleasure in gutting you little girl," Raphael said, motioning for his men to circle the perimeter. "Or maybe I'll let my men take turns before you die. Chain you up and make you our personal bitch. How does that sound?"

"No, thanks," Anna replied, voice even, unaffected by what was happening. "I don't swing that way."

"Oh, a lesbian, hey. Don't you worry, little girl. Me and my boys will help fix your deficiency, ain't I right boys?!"

"Hell, yeah!"

Eyes darkening, Anna twirled the blades between her fingers. "It's hard to touch what you cannot see. And harder still to touch when you have no fingers."

Now completely surrounded, the soldier's moved in, Anna standing completely still as she looked only at Raphael. She could sense his aura of victory before that battle had even begun, he believed her feeble and weak. That would soon change.

"This one has some fight, boss!"

"Doesn't she indeed. Looks like we won't be getting fresh pussy tonight, boys. A shame to waste such good material but that's the price you pay for slaughtering my soldier's."

Grinning, Anna took a step towards Raphael. "I don't care about your boys. This has nothing to do with them."

Pausing, Raphael halted his troops, and watched Anna closely. "Then why are you here? If not to exact your own revenge…"

"Didn't you know?" Anna questioned, crouching in position as she prepared to enter combat. "I came for you, Raphael Jacquez."

Startled, the man in question backed up and stared at Anna. He had clearly not expected this. Very few knew his real name, after all.

"How do you know my name?"

…

Smiling, Anna scrapped her blades together and said…

…

"The Assassin's Guild sends their regards!"

* * *

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"K-Kill her! Kill her! Kill her now!"

Alarmed by their general's terrified pleas, Anna made the first move. Sprinting towards the nearest soldier, Anna palmed away his wild swing before stabbing clean through his bicep. The blade retracted from his muscle in a flash – the man's cries of pain barely having time to issue forth – before she manoeuvred around his body and delivered the final blow. With her body facing away from him, Anna drove her blade into the back of his throat. His previous cries cut short as his body became lifeless.

"No!"

In an outburst of rage another soldier came hurtling towards her, his blade descending on her. The swing, like the one before, left him completely open. It was wild, predictable even. So, twirling the deceased soldier so that he rested at her back, Anna shielded herself from the heavy blow. The soldier's lunge connecting with the shoulder of his fallen comrade. The cut so deep that it was now stuck in place.

Realising this, Anna quickly discarded the deceased soldier and moved forward. The soldier swung wildly again – with his fist – and Anna met it head on with the point of her blade. The blade sunk through the knuckle, the echoed screams of pain mirroring those of his friend, before Anna kicked at his knee. The impact caused the soldier's knees to buckle but that was the least of his worries. Directly below his eye line was Anna's second blade. And before he could realise his fate, the blade pierced his throat.

Withdrawing her blades from the solider, Anna parried Raphael's strong swing. She had little time to rest, however, as another blade entered the fray. A middle aged, wily veteran, was now forcing her back into the main campsite, her feet stepping on blood, guts and limbs on her retreat. Anna paced herself, analysing her opponent's moves, as well as his strengths and weaknesses.

Kicking his blade away, Anna was about to deliver the killing blow when another soldier swung in her direction. With little time to react, Anna spun over the season veteran, using his back to roll onto her feet. It was a well-timed move as the sword had made contact with her hair. The roots almost being yanked out. That had been close.

Stepping away from the two soldier's, Anna continued to parry several more wild swings. Both soldiers were surprisingly un-coordinated as a team - getting in the way of each other's swings more often than not. Anna sensed opportunity.

So, blocking the veteran's swing, Anna spun around his body, her blade slicing the edge of his stomach. Not missing a beat, Anna swung herself around his body and delivered a two footed kick to the second soldier's mid-drift. Using the veterans back as a springboard, Anna rolled over to the young man and thrust her sword deep into his chest. The young man gasped in agony, blood spilling from his lips.

Turning while in motion, Anna quickly raised her weapons to catch Raphael's sword in between her two blades. Smiling in his direction, the young assassin swept his legs from under him before summersaulting away. Raphael's wild swing cutting clean through the air as Anna flipped and landed on her feet.

"Get back here you fucking bitch!"

Turning towards the noise, Anna sized up her new arrival. The man was heaving, blood dripping from his injured arm. _He must have been one of the unlucky casualties in the early bombing_ , Anna thought. Twirling her blades between her fingers, Anna parried his incoming swing and jumped back away from his wild punch. He was a feisty one, no doubt. Clearly being led by his heart rather his brain, a poor move.

Trading blows, Anna spent the time judging his ability, while the man only had death on his mind. Recognising his weakness, Anna ducked underneath his wild swing and, while spinning, delivered two sharp swipes with both blades to his wrist. The man's sword fell to the floor and before he could make even the slightest grumble, Anna sliced before ends of his throat with her twin blades.

All that was left now, where the veteran and Raphael. The other soldier who had previously been here could be seen sprinting into the forest. Now, she couldn't have that. So, spinning her blade so that she now held its handle, Anna watched the progress of the retreating figure. Her concentration was marred, however, by several incoming swings from the two remaining soldiers but Anna knew the retreating man was still within distance.

Backing away from the two, Anna parried Raphael's incoming swipe before spinning him around and kicking him directly into the seasoned soldier. Both collapsed to the floor, their arms and legs entangled as they struggled to get to their feet. Finally a moment of respite.

"Arghh! I'll fucking kill you!"

Ignoring the man's cursing, Anna turned and threw her blade into the forest towards the retreating figure. With little time to admire her skill, Anna returned her attention to the immediate fight. Twirling her last remaining blade, Anna correctly predicted their next moves. Flipping over the veteran's wild swing, Anna then ducked under Raphael's two handed slice before running her blade across his Achilles heel.

"AHHH!"

Not satisfied with this, Anna swept his feet from under him so that he landed back first, his heavy armour forcing the breath to leave him. Good. He would be incapacitated for a while.

Returning her attention to the last remaining soldier, Anna quickly jumped out of the way of his attack. He had thrown a short sword in her direction but had missed once again. Picking up his sword the seasoned veteran sprinted towards her and entered into battle. Anna was forced to dodge and parry his heavy barrage of offense, finding little time to strike back at the present moment.

He was relentless now, spurred on by fear and anger, but she could already see the signs of exhaustion washing over him. She, however, felt no such thing. Her breathing was still even, no heavy breathing could be felt passing her lips.

So, predicting another wild swing to her throat, Anna ducked and pushed her blade through his abdominal wall. The man gasped, a spray of blood falling on her hands, agony etched on his features. Staggering, Anna pushed the blade from his stomach and drove it into his throat. The man's body falling to the ground, lying limp at her feet.

…

All was quiet now.

…

Kneeling to collect her blade, Anna looked around her vicinity. She could see that the retreating figure from before had not escaped her ire. Her blade resting in his back. Standing up, Anna wiped the blood off her shoes and blade with the fabric from a nearby tent. Raphael continued to grasp at his ankle, his sword lying forgotten at his feet.

"I-I should have known," Raphael grimaced, blood dripping from his nose and mouth. "I knew the Guild would send someone. But… I never thought it would be this soon."

Turning her eyes towards him, Anna continued to clean her blade. She had time, his wounds were only superficial after all. He would not bleed out for a while and, in this case, her precious blade took priority.

"So, wanna go another round? Or are you going to start talking?"

"Ahh! I yield! I yield, assassin. Here," Raphael grasped his sword and threw it in her direction. "As proof."

"Okay,"

Walking towards her target, Anna pressed her blade against his throat, her other hand grasping the front of his armour. "I came here for one reason, and one reason only. Where is your contact?"

"Contact?"

"A group such as yours could not operate without a backer or benefactor. Who is it? Were you planning to meet him?"

Grimacing, Raphael glared at the assassin. "Who says we need… a benefactor! We are the wolves of Cyradil. People…"

Pressing the blade so that it drew blood, Anna spoke. "No, you **were** the wolves of Cyradil. Your company are dead. The last remnants of an unremarkable group lay scattered around this camp. You have no one left to hide you. Speak his name, now! Speak his name and I will let their legacy live on through you. Do you understand me?!"

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"You can't… but you can trust the Guild of Assassins. You can trust the code we Assassins are sworn to uphold," Anna said, her eyes focused. "The Guild have authorised me to spare your life but only if you give me the information I seek. You can walk away a free man. You can brag about being the last survivor of the Wolves of Cyradil to any who will listen. Just give me a name."

Gritting his teeth at the pain, Anna quickly relinquished her knife. She may have been a little too eager there, would have been a bad turn of events were he to die. Immediately, anyway.

"I can't. He'll know I betrayed him and my family will pay the penalty. If my life means the death of my wife and child… Then I choose death a hundred times."

…

"Ahh! Boss! Someone! Help… Help Me!"

Turning towards the sound, Anna noticed a guard clutching at his bloodied leg. It had been ripped apart by the blast and yet he still lived. He had shown remarkable resiliency, most of the soldier's had succumbed to their injuries long ago and yet he remained. Suddenly an idea came to mind, it was dark and twisted but it might just work.

She needed a name, after all, no matter the cost.

Walking towards the crippled soldier, Anna grabbed him by his tunic and pulled him across the ground.

"What are you doing?!" Raphael screamed, watching as his soldier was dumped at his feet.

Before he could utter another word, Raphael's great sword pierced the man's thigh. His screams echoing across the barren wasteland, Anna eyes never leaving Raphael's as she dug the blade around in a circular motion.

"Enough with the bullshit!" Anna screamed, ignoring the cries and pleas from the fallen man. "You are a cut-throat. A rapist. A murderer. You move from women to women, family to family and take what is not yours to take. Why should I care about your family? Why should anyone care?"

"Please… Please stop… Let him go…"

Realising his attention was elsewhere, Anna removed the great sword from the man's leg and pulled him closer. With a hand around his throat, Anna leaned the bloodied soldier towards Raphael.

"Why, when I talk about leaving your family for dead, do your concerns race to this boy? Do you even have a family, Raphael?"

"I… Of course I…"

As he spoke Anna's blade rose to the boy's throat. "No more lies. I know you do not have a family. A man as barbaric and proud as you would never allow himself to be tied down. You love the freedom. I'm sure you have children but you could care little about them. They were no doubt the least of your intentions."

Looking at the scared expression of the young soldier, Raphael conceded defeat. "Alright… Alright… You're right… I lied about the family."

Smiling, Anna nodded in agreement. "Good. Now we are getting somewhere. So, I will ask again. Who is your benefactor?"

"I… I can't… Please…"

"And why not?"

"Because," Raphael whimpered. "Because I don't know who he is!"

"…"

Desperation taking over, Raphael tried to repeat himself but only blood left his lips.

"Please… I don't know who he is…"

Mulling this over, Anna relinquished her hold around the young man. "Then tell me where you were going? I know you were going to meet someone at the docks? Is that your contact?"

"H-How?"

"I listened," Anna replied. "Your men like to talk. Now tell me! Which City were you going too? There are three main cities to the north of this mountain. Which one were you headed too?"

"Will… Will you let me go if I tell you?"

Considering this, Anna nodded, egging him on to continue.

"Fine. The contact… The contact is in Arendelle. We were supposed to meet him in two days at the docks in Arendelle."

"How would he know who you are? Did you have to do something at the Docks?"

Grimacing in pain, Raphael answered. "Yes, we would meet behind the shop called… called… the Twins emporium. He said he would meet us there."

"I believe you, thank you for the information."

…

"So, you'll let me go?" Raphael asked, grimacing as he attempted to lift himself up to a seated position.

"Me? Yes. Those girls on the other hand," Anna said pointing to the beaten and caged women in their cell. "They might not be quite so forgiving."

Watching as Anna walked away from him, Raphael eyes shot open, his hand reaching for a weapon that was no longer there. "Wait! No! You gave me your word! An Assassin's word is law! You have to abide by it!" Raphael screamed at Anna's retreating figure.

"Your right! An assassin's word is law," Anna said, resting a hand on the door of the cage. "But laws can be open to interpretation, and this is mine."

And with those final words, Anna opened the cage. The women staggering out into the open for the first time in months. Overcome with joy several of the women hugged and thanked Anna for her heroic rescue. They didn't even seem to notice the carnage around the campsite, even though they had seen it first-hand. Perhaps their time in captivity had made them numb to the violence and cruelty of the world.

"Thank you! Thank you! You… You don't know how much this means to me! Thank you! Thank you so much! How… How can I repay you?"

Turning to the women, Anna arched her neck over to Raphael. "Take your time, and make it slow. And make no mention that I was ever here. Say you were rescued by a knight from some far away kingdom. But do not tell them that I was here. If I find you have told anyone then I will be forced to kill you and your family. Am I clear?"

"Y-Yes!"

Satisfied, Anna motioned for the women to move and move they did. One by one each picked up swords, axes and even sticks as they approached the grovelling general.

"Assassin! Assassin! You gave me your word! Come back, Assassin! Come Back – Argh!"

Stepping into the forest once more, Anna pulled the blade from the cowardly soldier and moved further in. She quickly dressed in her garb, the small amount of warmth greatly appreciated in these cold temperatures and marched towards her new goal. Arendelle.

"Arendelle, huh?" Anna mused. "Never been."

* * *

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Author's Notes:

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Chasing Shadows. I've been contemplating whether to write this story or not and eventually decided to give it a go. I only spent a few hours today and yesterday writing it so there are likely mistakes and grammar errors littered throughout this chapter. My apologies for that. Depending on the response to this story I might make this one of my main stories, much like I did with the Succubus, but I'll have to wait and see.

Now, a little information on my plans for this story. This story will be Anna x Elsa. For the sake of the story I cannot say whether it will be incest or non-incest. That would be a spoiler that I'm not prepared to reveal until much later in the story. The themes will be romance, adventure and a splash of humour. The reason why the Age Rating is M is because of the detailed description of fighting and sexual scenes. Like all of my stories there will be no Rape. So have no fears about that worry.

The characters are also noticeably different. I will try to keep their personalities as best as I can but I wanted to add a different element to their characters. Anna, as you know, is a member of the Assassin's Guild and more will be explained in time. Also, this has nothing to do with Assassin's Creed, the popular video game. This is not a tie-in. The Assassin Guild has different codes and beliefs which will be revealed in due time.

This story was actually inspired by several different things. Frozen (obviously), Elder Scrolls, Fable 2 (The good one) and Daredevil (Netflix). Don't ask how all those things contributed to this story because even I have a hard time connecting them all :P

Elsa will be appearing shortly but the immediate attention will be on Anna. The story will be told through Anna's perspective. I hope you will grow to like her character because I want to make her a bad ass fighter who has little equal. Her personality will have certain changes but not drastic ones, I hope you will like what I have planned for her. Elsa and Anna will also be involved in a number of sexual situation (Also they are exclusive to each other) but that will happen a little later on. I want to make this story interesting and entertaining, fingers crossed.

Any questions feel free to ask them and I will answer to the best of my ability. All criticism and praise is welcome and I will respond within three days.

All the best and I hope you enjoyed this first chapter.

:D

Oh, if anyone would like to Beta this story I would be grateful for the assistance. I still have much to learn and my previous experience with Beta's has been incredibly beneficial.


	2. Chapter 2

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Frozen

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Chasing Shadows

By Miracles79.

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Chapter 2: An Assassin's word is law!

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Disclaimer: The characters used in this Fan Fic are owned by Walt Disney Animation Studios. I own nothing but the story that is contained within these words.

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"Lads and lasses, get it while you still can." A vendor called, his voice rising above all the other street vendors in hopes of attracting more clients to humble little selection. "All our food is on sale today! Hork liver! Beef Stew! Pheasant Breast! All at the low, low price of just ten silvers each! Thanks to none other than our most beloved queen, Queen Elsa of Arendelle!"

Ignoring the man's words, Anna continued to walk through the crowd of bustling shoppers. With every step she encountered a new obstacle, a new body in her path. Turning this way and that; body after body assailed her, the crowd growing larger by the minute.

' _For god sake…'_

' _I'm late enough as it is…'_

Unfortunately for the assassin, Anna had the great misfortune of entering the docks on the day Arendelle was holding a sale of all food and luxury items. It was not an uncommon practice, Anna had seen such things in other capitals, but the crowds had never been this big before. Hundreds upon hundreds of shoppers pushing one another to get to the front of the disorderly queues.

"Move it!" Anna shouted, pushing a man who had backed into her path. Snarling, Anna continued forward, pulling her old garb closer to her person as she proceeded onward. Her breath trailing in a white mist.

If there was one advantage to be found in this situation, Anna thought; it would be that the large cluster of people protected her from the unbelievable cold. She had felt it earlier on her approach and had almost reconsidered entering Arendelle's borders altogether, such did the cold affect her. The notion, however, was ridiculous. She was a trained assassin, had been to place were the sun never touched the land… and yet, those cold winters were nothing to Arendelle.

No one, not one single shopper, wore short sleeves or shorts. They were all fitted in large baggy garbs, not as unflattering as the garb she currently wore but they still looked odd. Looking from one person to the next, Anna noticed the disparity in shoppers immediately. Both rich and poor had attended this sale, men and women in filthy rags stood beside men of wealth and power. A most odd sight, both acted in similar fashions; pushing and pulling their way to the front.

' _To think a rich man would not strike down a lowly peasant for touching them…?'_

' _Or dirtying their clothes…?'_

' _Most strange…?'_

Feeling her worn shoes make contact with a set of stairs, Anna looked up and a relieved smile slipped past her lips. She was finally at the lone entrance to the shopping district, and away from the huddled masses clamouring for goods and gain. Now, if she recalled correctly, the map had told her that the Twins Emporium was on the right side of these set of stairs.

So, ascending the steps, Anna looked to her right and was greeted with more shops but, thankfully, less people than before. The name of the Twins' Emporium could be seen on an arrow pointing to the east of the staircase; that was where she would be going then. Holding her flimsy rags to her chin – to fight the blistering cold and to conceal her face – Anna walked towards her pre-determined destination.

"Enough!" Screamed a callous voice, the clinking of various metals following shortly after. "Make way all of you! Move along to the food district!"

Noticing the armed guard approaching her vicinity, Anna ducked her head, eyes focused on the ground. With another step Anna introduced a limp to her walk, her back arching as if she were poorly or weathered by age. The crowd that had festered 'Delicious Delights' flooded past her, the leader of the guard shouting insults as he approached.

Playing the part of the beggar, Anna slipped past the mass of people and – more importantly – the armed guard that offered no more than a single look. They had no interest in her affairs and allowed her to continue along the barren stretch of path without preamble. This was her most frequent disguise. No one ever gave a thought to the haggard, to the penniless. No one would care about her among the throng of people.

Reaching the end of the long stretch of road, Anna looked up and saw the Twins' Emporium nestled between a small thicket of houses. She was finally here. Now, all she had to do was sneak round the back and meet up with the Wolves contact. This should be easy. But, like Anna had learned many times before, looks can be deceiving.

"Okay…"

So, making sure her twin blades rested within a hands reach, Anna proceeded towards the Twins' Emporium. As she reached the corner of the shop, Anna took a moment to observe her surroundings. No one was watching her. There were no sounds of hastened footsteps or anxious breathing. Everything seemed… fine.

"Hmm…" Anna hummed, looking towards the nearby houses in case they housed any unsavoury or armed characters.

' _No sign of anyone…'_

' _No neighbours or families in these houses either…'_

' _Better make this quick.'_

Sticking to the shadows, Anna walked down the side of the modest building, her ears perched for any sounds that seemed out of place. Eyes continuing to watch the houses for any disturbances out of the ordinary. The silence was unsettling, the lack of noise or families in the surrounding houses more so.

Reaching the corner of the building, Anna kneeled and peered around it. A barren, stone walkway greeted her vision as well as a man, well built, strong and with a sword glistening in the modicum of moonlight available to them.

' _Around thirty…'_

' _Clearly, favours his right hand… His weapon is sheathed on his left side, after all…'_

' _Doesn't seem too nervous…'_

' _Seems relaxed…'_

' _Unguarded…'_

Registering this information, Anna moved around the corner of the building and walked towards the long figure. It seemed there was no ambush coming. The man appeared calm, which would not usually be the case if he had prior knowledge of the Wolves demise. Her worries had been for naught… at least for now, that is.

* * *

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"Ah," The man, dressed in garbs akin to someone of a higher station, turned to face the approaching figure. "You sure took your time lad."

"My apologies." Anna replied, lowering her head in respect.

"Sure you are. So, where are the rest of your lot? I was expecting a compliment of ten soldiers. No one."

"I can only offer my apologies once again, good lord. My other brothers have been delayed on the path over the snowy mountains beyond yonder," Anna said, motioning to the imposing mountain that can be seen further away in the distance. "I was sent in advance. My brothers should be arriving in the next day or so."

The man, looking between the figure and the mountain, still looked unconvinced.

Anna, recognising this, remained silent. Unintimidated. She had good reason for doing this. As speaking rashly or often could be seen as an act of deception by the recipient. An attempt to convince another to believe a story rather than a truth. Words and vocal inflexion had a way of undermining ones story.

So, Anna stayed silent.

"You Wolves have never sent a runner to me before. You did not mind arriving an hour or even a day late."

Prepared for this answer, Anna deepened her voice once again– to better resemble that of a young man's – and continued. "My brothers do not wish to stay long in Arendelle. We merely wish to receive our instructions and fulfil them post haste."

"Hmm…" The man answered, looking at Anna and rubbing the stubble on his chin. "So, why would they send you, boy?"

"Because… I am the fastest runner of the group, sir. That was why I was sent."

"I see," The man said, looking at the young man clothed in such filthy rags. It was probably the clothes he had with him when he was recruited by the Wolves, the man fathomed. The Wolves of Cyradil only gave their new initiates clothes once they had killed enough men and raped enough women, after all. A repulsive practice but it was not the man's place to place judgement… that was his employers.

"Do you have some sort of proof that you were sent by your Alpha? How can I trust your word when it comes from a stranger, and one so young at that?"

"Of course, my lord," Kneeling down on one knee, Anna pulled out a medallion from within her robe.

Looking down, the man took the object from the young man's hands and inspected it. Engraved in the centre of the medallion sat a large green wolf with blood red eyes. A familiar sight. It was the official seal that represented the most senior members of the Wolves of Cyradil. Only the strongest and most vile could hold such a thing.

"I was asked to give this to you on behalf of Raphael Jacquez, the Alpha of our company. He said it should act as proof, should you wish it."

Running a finger over the medallion, the man nodded. "Good. Yes. Very good."

"…"

Taking a step back, the man put two fingers in his mouth and blew out a loud whistle. Confused, Anna looked around her vicinity before narrowing her eyes at the man. But, within seconds, Anna's confusion was answered with the sound of approaching footsteps.

With little warning a host of armed soldier's burst out of the nearby houses and surrounded her position, circling her with violent intent. Swords, Axes, spears and an assortment of crude and dangerous weapons were now directed towards her. Turning to look at the armed soldier's, Anna counted ten that had answered the call to arms. Now, those were odds she did not like.

 _'Stupid! Stupid!'_

 _'A rookie's mistake…'_

'I should have seen this coming… Should have sensed this…'

Grinning, the man stepped towards the cloaked figure, the power and advantage no longer in the young boy's hands. He had been played from the very beginning. So simple yet so effective.

"No more lies. I know you are not a member of the Wolves of Cyradil. The wolves were found slaughtered just this morning. Every last one. Found upon the Queen's return to the Capital. Ironic, really, if the Queen had returned just a day later. You wouldn't have been faced with such a situation." The man motioned to the armed guard's that circled them.

Looking at the armed guard's one by one, her ears perched for any approaches from behind, Anna gritted her teeth. She was vastly out-numbered, in the open and without a plan. This was far from good. She had to think of something, she could get out of this. There was always a way to escape. In any situation, no matter how impossible it seemed. You just had to be clever enough to find it and if there was one thing Anna was… it was clever.

"So, young one?" The man asked, circling her position with his hands crossed behind his back. "What is the plan now, hmm? Where is your back up?"

"…"

"I know you did not come alone. So, where is he? Where is your back up hiding? Is he waiting above us? Or is there more than one? Speak, show yourself, or I will kill the young boy where he stands!" The man shouted, raising his hands and looking around his vicinity for her supposed back-up.

"I work alone." Anna said, her voice returning to its natural tone. The tone that clearly belonged to a young woman rather than the man she had been impersonating before.

Turning to face her, the man looked at her puzzled before laughter left his lips. "I am not a fool young one. Or should I say, young miss. The Wolves of Cyradil are a tough, well trained group. No one single man, no less a woman, could survive their onslaught. It is simply not possible. So, who sent you? How much did they pay you to act as a decoy?"

"I'm not a decoy. Like I said, I work alone. I killed the Wolves of Cyradil on my own. And, when all is said and done, I will kill you too. Every last one of you."

Laughing once again, the man walked, unperturbed, towards the cloaked figure. Anna did not move, merely watching the man as he stopped in front of her. Standing chest to nose, the man carefully removed the hood that covered Anna's face and smiled down at her.

"You are just a girl, young one," He said, a hand cupping her cheek, his thumb stroking the soft skin beneath his fingertips. "There is nothing you can do to me."

"…"

"You are being used, young one. Can you not see that…?" He asked, his hand trailing to stroke her tender neck. Eyes widening at the feel of this young one's skin. "I can help you. Hide you away from those that would seek to use you. Keep you safe."

"…"

"Just tell me… what are they planning? Where are they hiding?"

"…"

"Very well." The man said, removing his hands from her and looking back at the guards who watched their interaction with much interest. "All of you, watch the perimeter. Stick together. The assailants could come from anywhere. You heard what happened up at Bleak Creak, do not let the same happen to you!"

"Yes, sir!" the guards saluted, turning away from their employee and Anna.

' _That's it…'_

' _Now my chance…'_

Turning back towards Anna, the man gripped her upper arm and backed them both up against a nearby wall. Anna's back resting against his front. "Stay quiet, young one. This will all be over soon."

To her disgust Anna could feel the man press her further against him, the unmistakeable bulge of an erection pressing against her ass. Gritting her teeth Anna looked around her vicinity, all of the guards had their backs turned against her. She could use this, regain the advantage she had lost. And it couldn't come a moment too soon as the man was trying to push his clothed member between her ass cheeks.

' _I am going to fucking get you after I'm done…'_

' _Pig…'_

In a slow movement, Anna moved her right hand – the one that was not being held behind her back – and reached into her garb. Her fingers circled the small, round metallic object and she pulled it from her belt. Keeping her finger on the trigger, Anna counted down the seconds in her head. She needed to wait ten seconds for this to work. He could enjoy her body for ten more seconds then it would be the last thing her ever felt.

"I'll keep you safe, young one." The man continued his voice dark and musky as he attempted to push himself between her ass cheeks. It was proving unsuccessful, however, the young, beautiful woman kept squirming away from his member. He was very close to pulling down his trousers and giving her a taste of the real thing without the obstruction of both their thick clothes, of course.

"…"

Ten seconds having now passed, Anna arched her body and rolled the small black object down her leg. The small object rolled towards the large group of guards – some turning bewildered by the small encroaching sound that could not be seen– before a sharp burst of white mist descended upon them.

"W-What!?"

"Smoke! An attack! Hold your positions!"

Shocked, the man holding Anna suddenly removed his hands to shield his eyes from the encroaching smoke. His vile intentions forgotten at the new introduction of a new threat. Within seconds the white smoke spread and engulfed him, his vision blurred so that he could only see as far as his hands. The moment his hands left Anna, however, Anna was gone in the blink of an eye.

"Alright! Everyone! Fall into – AHHHHHHHH!"

"…"

"W-What was that…? Who – AHHHHHHHH"

The sounds of two blades cut through the mist – the silence – only to be followed by the clattering of armour as bodies began to crumble to the ground. One by one the sounds emerged but none of the armoured guards or their employee could see anything, they were blind to this threat.

"Whose there! Show yours – AHHH!"

The sounds of a knife silenced his final words, a disgusting gurgling leaving his lips as he was left to stagger through the mist. His sword falling to the floor as his hands gripped at his throat in a vain attempt to keep the blood inside.

Fearful for his life, an axe wielding soldier noticed someone from the corner of his eye and, without warning, swung in its direction. It was only when the axe cleaved through the figure's head that the guard gasped in horror. It was his best friend, his neck sliced and now an axe stuck in his head. A look of horror and fear clear to see to even the least perceptive of humans.

"A-ALE – "

The man did not have time to grieve however as, out of the mist, a cloaked figure emerged and cut his throat before he could even draw breath. The figure leaving, disappearing into the fog, as quickly as she came. With blood pooling down his front the man crumbled to the floor, his hands holding his best friend close as both died upon impact.

"W-WHAT'S HAPPENING!? WHERE IS – HUH!"

"…"

"Steven! Stev…"

"…"

"…"

"Wait! No! Please! Please! I don't want to die! I have a family! A new-born! You can't…. AHHHHH"

"…"

Horrified by what he was hearing the man who hired these armed guards tried to make a break for it, stumbling over his own feet in a panic. But, as he moved blindly, the man suddenly felt hands on his back and dragged him back against a nearby wall. Then, without enough time to gather his bearings, he was roughly turned around and held by his throat against the wall.

Gradually, as his eyes grew accustomed to the pain, the man looked down to see a cloaked figure standing before him… its hand encompassing his neck.

"Y-You…"

"…"

The smoke dispersed and the bodies of ten guards that now littered the small alleyway came into his vision, the blood pooling around them. Feeling something sharp press into the side of his neck, the man looked down to see the blades curved edge being placed against his throat. His eyes widened and he could only look pleadingly at the hooded figure whose face was shrouded in shadow.

"You have humiliated me long enough," Anna said, her voice clear and threatening. "If you do now wish to incur my anger. I would suggest you answer all my questions honestly… Or, I will have to take out my anger on you, piece by piece."

Shocked and baffled by these events, the man could only nod, his eyes roaming from the hooded figure and to the ten men that now lay dead. "Of course! Yes! Anything! W-What do you want to know?"

"Who are the Wolves of Cyradil's benefactor? Who armed the men and women that slew the Assassin's in their Den!? Who was it!?"

Gasping, due to fear and a lack of air, the man tried to step on his toes to relieve the pressure around his neck. When no reply was forthcoming the blade pressed hard against his neck. "Ahh! Alright! Alright! I will tell you but only…"

Frustrated, Anna lowered the man so they could speak face to face. "Only, what?"

"I will tell you as long as I keep my life. Otherwise, well, I have no information to offer you." At this response, Anna pressed the knife against his throat. "A-And… And the answers die with me. The trail goes cold."

"I could always find another way! Another source of information."

"Do you really want to run that risk," The man scoffed, breathing evenly now. "Very few knew about the attack on the Assassin's Guild. Very few were informed of it for fear that you lot would become aware of it. So, please be my guest. Search fruitlessly."

"…"

"And, in any case, by the time you find the information… it may already be too late. Information has an expiration date. Things change. What you learn today may no longer by valid in a couple months' time. But you can have the information, from me. I give it willingly, unspoilt. But you have to let me live!"

Glowering, Anna lessened her hold on the man. It had taken her months to scrounge up enough evidence that the Wolves were even involved in the attack of the Assassin's Guild. The other groups that attacked alongside them were still unknown. This was the first piece of information that had led her to something positive. Could she really run the risk of letting this information die with him?

No.

The answer was obviously, no.

"Fine," Anna whispered, removing the blade from his throat as he fell to the ground. "Information in exchange for your life."

"Oh, no, I'm not stupid. 'Information in exchange for my life?' That just means you'll kill me once I tell you everything. No. You cannot use word play to kill me. You must swear to me. Swear that you will spare my life. Or the deal's off!"

' _Shit…'_

' _He's smarter than I thought…'_

"Fine. An Assassin's word is law. On the principles of the Creed and all it upholds… I will not kill you. As long as you provide me the information I seek."

Smiling, the man patted down his long sleeve shirt and stood up. "Good. Now, where would you like me to start?"

"Just start with the Wolves of Cyradil, their backer or benefactor to be more precise."

"Understood," The man nodded. "Well, the man you seek is a man you will find… difficult to reach."

Unfazed, Anna gripped the blade in her hand tight, eyes looking for any signs of lies or deception. "How come?"

"Because… The benefactor to the Wolves of Cyradil is a member of Arendelle's supreme council." The man continued, aware and glad that Anna knew the full weight of the foe she hoped to vanquish. Arendelle's council did, after all, house the wealthiest and strongest families from all over the country. No matter how skilled Anna was… she could not take on the strongest and farthest reaching in the kingdom.

"That's not all though. If that was not enough to dissuade you, then how about this. He is also a trusted member of the Queen's personal, secret, council. There are only six members and he is one of them. Don't you see! The man is untouchable. He has the support and friendship of the most powerful woman in this entire world. Queen Elsa. You attack him… and you attack the Queen of Arendelle. You would never stand a chance. She would kill you like the hundreds and thousands she has already kill."

"This man," Anna continued, processing the information as she spoke. "Was he the one who ordered the hit on the Assassin's Guild? Or… Was it the Queen?"

Laughing the man shook his head. "How should I know? I'm not one of the six. I don't hold that kind of sway… yet. It could have been either of them. They both have the power, the money to do such a thing. They could be the ones who now occupy the Assassin's headquarters. Maybe you should ask the Wolves benefactor if you are still so inclined to see him."

"…"

"Is that fear I sense. Bitten off more than you can chew, haven't you."

"Give me a name?"

Surprised, the man locked back at the cloaked figure. "A name?"

"The Wolves benefactor. The one who is a member of Arendelle's council. The one you have been talking up and wittering on about for the last five minutes. Give me his name, now?"

"You can't be serious? You'll still go after him after all I have said?"

Grabbing the man by the scruff of his neck, the blade slipping back and under his throat, Anna pressed him against the wall yet again. "Were you words surprise to frighten me? Discourage me from acting. You are a fool. I have silenced Kings and monarchies! I fought in wars and travelled the world. I survived tests you could not imagine! Endured pain and fears that could only be found in the darkest corner of this world. You think a man of influence! A woman of power and righteous entitlement would scare me!"

"I…I…"

"Give me a name! Or the deal is broken! Do you understand me?"

"Wait! I… I don't know his name."

"…"

Eyes narrowing, Anna stepped into the man's personal space, her knife pressing against the protrusion at his throat. Fear now resided in this man, a man who had been so sure… so confident. Just like all men, they thought they were the smartest and most cunning in the world but in truth they were stupid for just thinking that. She had him exactly where she wanted him.

"I-I don't know his name. I only know he's a member of Arendelle's Council."

"How do you know?"

"He… He gives us are orders with Arendelle's official stamp. Talks of… of… things that only a council member could possibly know. Tells us laws that will be passed before the Queen has passed them. Tha-That's how I know!"

Staring at him, Anna cold tell that the man was telling the truth. He was at a breaking point and was saying everything he knew in hopes that his life would not be taken away. He had fulfilled his end of the bargain. Now, it was time for her to do the same.

"Is that all the information you have?"

"Y-Yes! That's all I know! Now! Please! Let me go! You gave me your word! An Assassin must always keep her word!"

Relinquishing her hold, Anna agreed. "I did. My oath is my bond and I will follow it like I have a hundred times before. You shall keep your life."

"Ah, thank you,"

Nodding his head, the man moved around Anna. And Anna… let him go.

…

…

He was okay. He was safe. The Assassin had given her word. She could not harm him now. He was free. God had given him another chance to cheat death and, unlike all those times before, he would use it wisely. He had time. He could warn his employer, tell him that an Assassin was coming to end his life and… once the Queen captured or killed her, he would reap the benefits. He would prove himself to the Queen and be rewarded in money and more gold then he could carry.

…

However, just as the man was about to leave the premises, a pressure on his back stopped his movement. Perplexed, the man turned and was greeted with the hooded figure once again holding onto the back of his collar.

"W-What are…?"

"I said you could live…"

"…"

"… But I never said in what condition I would leave you in." Anna send, menacingly.

Confused, the man tried to prise her hand off the back of his collar. "Unhand me! We had a deal Assassin! You cannot go back on your word! Do not try to intimidate me…"

Smiling, Anna pulled the man by his collar back into the area littered with bodies - a hand pressing against his mouth. Muffled screams left his person, his limbs kicking in all direction in his attempts to get away from the strong arms of the Assassin who dragged him unbidden.

"You should have picked your words carefully," Anna said, dragging him into a dark alley. "And I know that if I let you go… you would warn the others, this benefactor of yours for one. I would either lose my target indefinitely or find myself walking into a trap."

"MMMMMMM!" The man screamed, his mouth covered no matter how much he struggled or cried for help.

"An assassin must always keep her word. And I will," Anna said, directing her blade in front of the man's field of vision. "I will let you live."

"…"

"But I will make sure you never talk or communicate with anyone ever again."

Terrified, the man kicked up an almighty fuss. Anna being forced to put him in a tight headlock while he flopped on the floor, scratching and clawing at her arms as she applied pressure to his neck. He tried to stand, to pull himself away from her grip but it did not slack. No, quite the opposite in fact. It was like he was being gripped by a boa constrictor, refusing to let him escape no matter how desperately he tried.

"I'm going to cut off your fingers and then cut out your tongue," Anna said as she felt the man begin to slowly lose consciousness. "That way I can be sure that you keep your end of the bargain."

"No! Please! Wait! I-I'll keep quiet! I won't tell a soul! Please believe me!"

"I'm sorry. But an Assassin must always keep their word." Anna said, gripping the man's hand and lifting the first finger up to her blades edge.

"No! Wait! Don't – AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

(S-L-I-C-E! S-L-I-C-E! S-L-I-C-E!)

(S-L-I-C-E! S-L-I-C-E!)

(S-L-I-C-E!)

"…"

Fifteen minutes later, as blood pooled from his hands and open mouth, Anna kneeled down and poured a thick, greenish powder onto the stubs of his fingers and tongue. Effectively stemming the blood flow. It was the best she could do. At least he wouldn't die, it was what he wanted after all.

So, with her task complete, Anna stepped away from the figure and returned her cleaned blade to the belt underneath her rag. With a few more steps she entered the bustling street, avoiding the approaching guards who sprinted into the space she had previously occupied. A gaggle of onlookers watching, awe and fear clear in the expression as they looked upon the carnage she left behind.

But she had no time to stop and idolise her work. She had a job to do.

…

…

… Infiltrating the Queen's mansion and finding the sole benefactor of the Wolves of Cyradil.

* * *

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Author's Notes: Well, ladies and gentlemen, I'm very happy to be back writing on Fanfiction again. And, what's more, writing a story about Frozen no less.

This story has been on my mind for the last week. I know I shouldn't have written this, given how I am currently writing my own original story with a friend. But I just couldn't help myself. I was suffering another bout of writer's block and, after listening to advice from my friend, I decided to take a few days off writing our story. During the break I started planning the next chapter, the original idea has been changed and improved in my opinion. And, after planning this chapter and the next six or seven, I couldn't help but write this one up. I hope you like it.

I will hopefully get around to writing the next one next week, no promises. After this though I am going to take some time to gauge the interest this story holds. If it is satisfactory then I will of course continue. But if people aren't interested then I will naturally stop. I have a lot of stories that need writing already; The Succubus and Empty Places being the main ones. So, updates would be infrequent would this story continue.

Also, for any readers of the Succubus, I will be writing the next chapter very soon. Apologies for the delay but I had to put all my effort into my original writing project, work and social life. The original story will probably be finished soon and be available for free if anyone is interested in such a thing.

However, now that my original writing is finished, I can spend the rest of my writing time on my Fan Fic stories. I may take a little break around December and January, because I have been writing non-stop for the last five to six months but after that I'm good to keep going. We'll see. I may not even need a break.

Anywhere I hope you all enjoyed this story. I cannot wait to show you what I have planned for the next chapter. Everyone's favourite Queen **Elsa** will finally be making her long awaited appearance. And, believe me, she is nothing like you have seen on Fan Fic. She still retains aspects of her personality, of course, but **physically** and **emotionally** she is a very different person. I hope you'll like it :D

So, any who, I'm going to stop whittling on and say my goodbyes. Apologies if there are any errors, mistakes or grammar problems. I wrote this in one sitting that lasted around six hours. So there are probably a number of mistakes. I'll get round to fixing them in due course.

So, thank you very much for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter of Chasing Shadows.


	3. Chapter 3

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Frozen

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Chasing Shadows

By Miracles79.

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Chapter 3: Ice That Does Not Thaw.

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* * *

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Disclaimer: The characters used in this Fan Fic are owned by Walt Disney Animation Studios. I own nothing but the story that is contained within these words, if that.

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 **There is an important Author's Note at the end of this page… Please read it after you have read the chapter though as there are spoilers to this chapter in the Author's Note. Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoy this third chapter of Chasing Shadows.**

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* * *

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*Tap* *Tap* *Tap*

Silence fell across the grand Hall. A whispering hint of a murmur spreading throughout the large crowd but the sound never rose in volume. Everyone was watching her. Some in fear - as was to be expected – some in awe – such was her power over them – and some… some even watched her in rage and anger.

Either way… She did not care.

*Tap* *Tap* *Tap*

*Tap* *Tap* *Tap*

The sound of tapping filled the eerie silence. The figures fingers continuing its repetitive motions, knocking against the throne where she sat, unconcerned with the stares it gathered from those around her. She had no reason to be concerned after all.

She was the Queen. Queen Elsa to be more precise. The last living monarch of this great and powerful Kingdom. And the people that watched her, cowered before her, all of them belonged to her. They were her people, she their protector. And yet, despite this very fact, Elsa could sense an underlying tension within every last one of them.

' _Good…'_

' _Let them fear you…'_

' _Thin the herd of rebellion…'_

' _Any who wish to challenge you will be made an example of…'_

' _For all to see…''_

The populace had good reason to be fearful of Elsa. She was different, not human, like you or me, but instead comprised entirely of ice. An ice of different shades and intensity's morphed and claimed her body, reducing her to that of an ice sculpture. But no one would dare say such a thing in public, and especially not to her face.

Elsa had long since given up her humanity. In fact - few new this – but Elsa's humanity was lost on the exact same night that the council had announced the death of the people's most beloved princess, Anna. A night which filled Elsa's dreams with torment and anguish, to be repeated for all eternity.

Many of the populace even suspected that Elsa had some hand in Anna's unfortunate and untimely death. And this was further exacerbated when the Council refused to either confirm or deny the story. Adding further fuel to the fire. The belief that Elsa had killed Anna in a jealous rage had now become fact among the people.

When asked by the populace, the Council refused to reveal the circumstances behind Anna's death and as time raced on… the populace began to forget about Anna. So fickle was their anger that they moved on after only three winters had passed. But, in that time, while the populace gossiped and speculated on Elsa's methods and motives, the last remaining princess began to gradually lose her sanity. Giving herself over to her powers until it all but consumed her.

And now, this sculpture of jagged and crude ice was all that remained of Elsa, the Queen of Arendelle.

…

…

As Elsa sat a dense white fog continued to ooze from her body, trailing and circling her vicinity as if to provide an added layer of fear to her already frightening appearance. Every movement of her head, arms or limbs was met with an eerie, unsettling crunch. The ice sliding and scraping against each other in a most unpleasant way.

And if that wasn't enough to garner fear in the hearts of men then her eyes alone would have done the trick. As they were a deep, disturbing, piercing blue. The kind of eyes that would have silenced all statements of defiance, and invoke fear in even the strongest of enemies.

"My Queen," An old withered man called, a staff used to keep himself up right as he motioned to the crowd. "We are ready to begin, whenever you are."

Without turning her head, Elsa's eyes turned to the man, the Queen's own personal scholar. The man staggered back upon inspection, that familiar look of fear filling his eyes. Although whether the old man was aware of this or not remained to be seen. Either way, she did not care. He was good at his job, informative even. If he was not, then she would not have appointed him to the Council in the first place.

So with one subtle nod of her head, Elsa leaned back in her chair, a hand propped up against her chin, and waited.

Suddenly, the doors creaked open and the sounds of screaming could be heard. The crowd became frenzied, growing disorderly as their fear began to take hold of them. And there was good reason for it too. As, on the other side of the door, stood two massive creatures comprised entirely of ice. Jagged edges complimenting their large and muscular bodies, sharp enough to cut, bleed and kill if Elsa deemed it necessary.

Elsa watched in silence, unconcerned by the rabble who cowered in fear. These creatures were her pets, her children if you will. All were created by her, and served her loyally. The creatures of ice were her own unique weapons of destruction, her vessels of fear. Conceived for one purpose. To eliminate her enemies and bring order to a world that was in need of it.

As the two creatures entered the Hall, the crowd gasped as a bloodied human male was dragged behind them. The man struggled, blood pouring down his face while his breath came out in white puffs of air. No doubt due to the proximity of the creatures, even his hands appeared frozen and unmoving.

"My Queen," The Scholar read, eyes focused solely on his parchment. "I give to you lord Katar, from the province of Catarina."

"Get off me!" The man, Katar, interrupted, attempting to pull himself away from creature's grasp. "You have no right. I am a prince. Not some mere beggar on the street. Release me now! I have diplomatic immunity. This isn't right."

The creatures showed no signs of hearing or even caring. Instead they lowered him before the Queen and forced him to his knees. While one creature kept Katar down, the other looked towards her as if in question. Elsa knew what he asked and she nodded in response. This had happened so many times before and yet the creatures always looked to her for approval. When would they learn?

Elsa barely even heard the screams as the creatures formed ice to spread around Katar's feet, keeping him glued to the floor. The crowd responded in much the way she expected but this too was unimportant. She had seen it, experienced it all before. Nothing ever changed. They were all so predictable, boring.

Gritting her teeth, Elsa looked towards her Scholar and prompted him to continue. The man trembled but continued none the less. It was no surprise to her. He was a good man, after all. A kind and loving husband who came to the City after being scouted by Elsa herself. He was undoubtedly a good man. But time would see to that. He would become like her soon enough.

"Prince Katar of Catarina stands accused of the following crimes…"

"I did nothing," Katar interrupted. "You have no proof. This is not right. This isn't fair. I have diplomatic immunity. I cannot be treated like this!"

"You stand accused of several heinous crimes within the city of Arendelle," The old man continued, outraged, raising his voice in anger. "All of these crimes sexual in nature. We know that you sexually assaulted a number of women within the capital. One no less than fourt…"

"Scholar…" Elsa murmured, eyes never leaving the aggrieved man on the floor. "This is not protocol. Continue to read and do not raise your voice in my Halls ever again. You are a Scholar; your thoughts are not for the public's hearing. Now, continue."

Taken aback, the old man returned his eyes to the parchment, his hands trembling and voice now shaken the Scholar took a moment to calm himself and continued to read. "Prince Katar of Catarina stands accused of the following crimes: One count of thievery, four counts of extortion, six… six counts of sexual assault, three counts of murder and many lesser crimes which have been dropped by order of the Queen. Prince Katar of Catarina, what do you have to say in your defence?"

Laughing, the man looked at the old man and then back to Elsa. "That's it. You don't even know. I thought… I thought… Hahahaahahaha!"

Angered by this the Scholar curled his fist into a ball, every fibre of his being called for him to punch this man into unconsciousness. Until the man bled even more than he did right now. Even the crowd was riled by this, seeing this man, this monster, laughing while his victims still suffered in silence.

Yes, everyone within the hall had grown incensed, outraged by the man's gall. All but for one. The Queen. Elsa's face retained its previous state of passivity, unperturbed by the goings on happening all around her. No emotion could be discerned and in response to the prince's wild laughter Elsa merely watched in silence. Then, when the crowd began to push against her armed guards, Elsa finally spoke.

"Enough," The Queen called, directing her words towards the startled crowd.

All movement ceased and silence prevailed within the Hall once again. With the matter now dealt with, Elsa turned her attentions to the prince. "These are very serious crimes you stand accused of. All carry the same punishment in my Kingdom. So, if I were you, I'd hold your tongue before I cut it off and feed it to my pets."

The prince, now fearful and silent, looked up at the Queen and then at the monsters that surrounded him. A white mist poured from their bodies, the sensation of cold drawing over him even though the mist did not reach him.

"And as for your efforts to overthrow me," The Queen said, the prince's eyes widening further. "I considered that a lesser crime. A stupid crime. A pointless crime. Your actions were clearly those of a man not in his right frame of my mind. Your actions clearly mark you as insane. As is the possibility of you and your ilk one day ruling my Kingdom. You see, your hopes and dreams… were impossible from the start."

"How… How did you… How did you know? How did you know my family was involved?"

Turning towards a servant girl, eyes still watching the prince, Elsa clicked her fingers. The young girl startled in response and picked up a bag that had been deposited behind her throne. The bag was old, covered by a thin sheen of ice… and… and a small unmistakeable trail of blood. Elsa collected the bag and placed it on her lap, unconcerned by the blood that now stained her leg.

"From the words of your King himself," And with that Elsa threw the bag at the prince. The prince and crowd watched its trajectory with a mixture of anticipation and horror. What could be in the bag?

The bag sailed high through the air and then, upon impact with the ground, two heads rolled out and knocked against the prince's knees. As the heads rolled to face the prince, the man suddenly screamed in agony.

"MOOOOOOOOMMMMM! DAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDD! NO! OH GOD NO!"

Queen Elsa sat back and watched the scene unfold, features set, not a flicker of emotions rolling over her as she watched the grovelling man. The man continued to scream, unsure what to do as his dead parent's looked up at him from the floor.

So he did the only thing he could do; he cried and he cried and he cried. The crowd watched on in horror, some even feeling sympathy for a man accused of rape and murder. Something few had believed possible mere moments ago.

"YOUUU! YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED MY MOM!" The man screamed, anger rising to his features. "SHE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS! IT WAS OUR PLAN! MY FATHER AND I! MY MOM KNEW NOTHING ABOUT IT! SHE WAS INNOCENT"

Staring at the man, Queen Elsa sat up straight and leaned forward. "No one is innocent. Your mother less so. She was simply guilty by association. So she had to die. I made sure their ends were quick and painless though. Which is more than I can say for many others who have attempted similar feats. All have failed."

The Queen stood, surveying the crowd. "The safety of the Capital is paramount. Any who place it in danger will be dealt with likewise. I will not broker peace between nations that scheme our own destruction. I will not grant mercy to those who wish to harm the very fabric of what has been built here. And I will not," Elsa faces the prince. "Allow enemies of the state to exist in my world."

The crowd gasped at this and watched as Elsa walked towards the man, the guard's watching on in concern. Not concern for their Queen like you might expect but for the man. They all knew Elsa's methods and all at once they looked away. Several members of the crowd even hid, eyes covered while pressing children to their breast.

"YOU KILLED MY MOTHER! YOU KILLED MY FATHER! HAVE YOU NOT DONE ENOUGH! YOU'VE ALREADY TAKEN THOSE THAT I LOVE FROM ME! NOW YOU WISH TO TAKE MY LIFE!"

Elsa now stood several feet away from the man, eyes retaining their cloud of calm which very few would have in this situation. "Yes but not for the crimes against my Kingdom. But for harming the people that belong to it."

"What…?"

"You extorted money from the disenfranchised, from the poor and good people of this City," The grovelling man tried to interrupt but one glare silenced any and all efforts. She was not finished. "You stole cattle and produce from a farmer who provides food and comfort to many of my people. And if that was not enough you ended the lives of three residents of my City."

"Is… Is that all you care about…? Do you think I will show remorse after what you did to my family, you whore!"

The Queen took a step closer, the grovelling man sensing an opportunity to get in a measure of revenge before his time came to a close. But before he could act, a trail of ice rose from the ground sharply and lowered his hands to the ground.

Screaming in pain as the ice cut into his flesh, Elsa stood before him closer than she had ever been. "You harmed my City. I gave you permission to enter, granted you diplomatic immunity and you threw my kindness back in my face. You have ruined the lives of six young girls who now tremble at the sight of any man who approaches them. You raped them for hours and hours upon end. That cannot be forgiven."

Sniggering, the man spat at Elsa, the crowd responding in gasps while the Queen wiped the substance from her breast.

"The once proud line of Catarina ends with you," Turning, the Queen returned to her throne. "If I find that you have sired any children before your time here then they too will be executed. Your punishment extends to those you consider family as well. I will find them and when I am finished with you I will present your head to all six girls as a trophy. And you will be made an example. A warning to any outsider who thinks they are above my law."

Turning towards one of her hideous ogre's Elsa motioned towards the prince. "Tear him limb from limb. Do what you will with any of his extremities but give the head to me. Make it slow and painful. I give you permission to freeze him in stasis while you go about your work. That way he will feel everything and die slow… as he deserves. Now go. See that it is done."

Terrified the man on the floor pleaded. "Please! Please your Queen! Give me a quick death like you did my father! That's all I ask! I do not seek absolution nor redemption! Just grant me this one thing please! I beg of you! Show mercy!"

…

Head lowered in her chair, an icy mist beginning to form around her figure, Elsa's fists clenched together with a loud crack of ice. All within the hall grew still, even the grovelling man that pleaded for his life. She looked more menacing than ever before. No one could see her face but the mist that surrounded her could be felt by everyone in the Hall. And it was most uncomfortable.

"Did you listen when they begged?" The Queen asked, head still lowered as she spoke. "Did you show mercy when those women cried and pleaded with you? Did you stay your hand when you ended the lives of three of my people? When I welcomed you into my City as an honourable guest, presented you to the Council? Did you laugh while you infected my City?"

"My Queen, I…"

"MY CITY!" The Queen screamed, pushing herself out of her chair and facing the crowd. "You harmed my own. That cannot be forgiven. So you will suffer the worst pain imaginable. And I will watch your final moments with relish. Remember that! Remember that as you remain encased in ice for over a century with nothing but pain as a companion. Now, take him away!"

As the man was dragged away, screaming for clemency, Elsa returned to her throne and closed her eyes. She could feel it. This wasn't good. She was losing control of herself, her powers were becoming unstable. This had happened a few times before but never when she was surrounded by her council or her people. She had to regain control before all those in this Hall suffered a most avoidable death.

' _Conceal…'_

' _Don't feel…'_

' _Conceal…'_

' _Do not feel…'_

' _Conceal…'_

It wasn't working. She could feel ice crawling over her, penetrating her mind and body. This hadn't happened in years. It shouldn't have happened at all. Elsa thought she had learned to control it by now… but she was wrong. She could feel it, ice trickling from her fingers spreading to the arms of her throne.

Elsa looked up towards the crowd and the Council, blissfully unaware of her suffering or that their lives were in danger. She had to control it. Had to find something… Something. Anything.

Slowly ice trickled down her throne, the temperature in the room dropping noticeably. All eyes were on her now, the crowd watching her in fear and confusion. She couldn't handle this. Not now. Not while she was being watched by her people. The very people she had sworn to protect.

Her emotions were rabid, Elsa struggling to hold back the tide of magic that threatened to explode within her. The creatures, the ogres of ice, began to emit a white cloud from their bodies. Many of the crowd retreated upon feeling the icy mist crawl up their arms and legs. The Council stood, fully aware of what was happening. What Elsa promised would never happen.

' _I have to control this…'_

' _Conceal…'_

' _Don't feel…'_

' _Conceal…'_

'…'

' _This isn't working…'_

' _Why isn't this working…?'_

' _I need help…'_

' _I need…'_

…

…

' _Anna…'_

Suddenly an image of her smiling, beautiful sister entered her mind and the ice that threatened to escape from her body… dissipated. Looking up, Elsa watched as the icy mist that had descended upon the crowd now extinguished itself. The Council took their seats once more, relief washing through every single one of them.

For Elsa though this was more a victory than a feeling of relief. She had finally managed to best her powers after years of struggle. On previous occasions, when her powers had become unstable, Elsa would lock herself away and let her powers explode while inside a contained room.

For Elsa the tide was finally turning in her favour. She had won a battle in what had been a long, arduous and one sided war. And it had all been because of Anna, her beautiful and charming sister. Even in death Anna could make her feel alive again. Only Anna could do that. Only Anna…

…

…

But this moment of clarity did not last long. As the Queen leaned back in her seat, eyes now closed, Elsa returned to her previous shell. Locking away the memories of her beloved sister, Anna, away for good. Those memories, despite their need, should never have been accessed. It was a mistake. It shouldn't have happened.

"Call the next subject." Elsa called, opening her eyes and returning her attention to the matter at hand. There was still far more work to be done. And this was only the beginning.

* * *

.

.

.

As the criminals filtered into the Hall one by one each were dealt with by the full standards of the law. Even the smallest infractions carried the harshest of penalties in Arendelle. If someone stole food then by law their hands would be cut off, stopping them from every doing it again. If someone stole or tried to steal secret documents then their eyes would be gouged out, their tongue and fingers removed.

This was the law passed down by Queen Elsa. Each transgression would be dealt with in the same manner befitting the crime. For instance, if someone tried to sexually assault a member of the populace in her City then their punishment would be the harshest of all. Katar now knew that first hand, all limbs would be cut including the fifth that was only possessed by man. A most disturbing yet effective punishment.

The crime rate in the City had dropped dramatically since Elsa's appointment. Arendelle was far safer than it had ever been but the people would not know it. They all lived in fear. Fear of Elsa and of the ogres that prowled the streets at night protecting the city from any and all invaders.

Elsa had waged wars against nations and won all in the same night. Her army of ogres always coming back in the same numbers, never falling even by one. This was not a surprise to the Queen, however, as no mortal weapon could even put a dent in the ogre's hide. And these same ogres walked the very same streets that the populace had walked on during the day.

Yes, things were safer now more than ever. But to many this time was the most dangerous of all.

Returning her attention to the pleas of some little girl, Elsa fazed her voice out and heard the unmistakable sounds of the Council's entrance way opening. That could have only been one person. All others were present and accounted for. And only one member of the Council would ever dare be late to matters of state.

"Hello, Elsa." The man whispered, taking a seat behind and to the right of the Queen. "Sorry I'm late. My maid left me a delectable meal and I just had to eat it all up. Hope you don't mind."

Elsa understood the connotations. She was no longer a naïve and simple child. Prince Hans had no doubt been eating out his own personal maid again. As he had done so many times before. Elsa shook her head in exasperation.

The young woman had claimed to like it – when Elsa had asked her personally – but something about Hans made her feel uneasy. But, regardless, she could not remove him from her Council over something as childish as mere squeamishness. Not to mention that they were old childhood friends. And he did have certain abilities that others of her Council lacked, his abilities of deception had proven to be a most important tool in the beginning of her reign.

But he was starting to fall into the trap of many great men before him, he was becoming predictable and lazy. A deadly combination which would seem him ousted from his position if his behaviour did not improve. Hans had not contributed anything to the Council in months and the others were rightfully asking questions. Elsa, in truth, cared very little for Hans but – in memory of her parents who had been close friends with the Westergaard family – Elsa ignored many of his infractions.

"So, what's been going on?" Hans asked, leaning over Elsa's right hand side. "Did I miss anything good?"

"No. Now be quiet. I'm trying to listen." Noticing that the young girl had stopped, Elsa motioned for her to continue. She had not heard much but she got the gist of it. The girl's concerns over the state of her School seemed fair and she seemed to be a learned child. It was only fair that she, the Queen, contributed to this child's learning. The child might prove useful in the years to come, when her current Council members passed on.

As the young girl was dismissed, with promises of support from the Queen's personal coffers, Elsa waited for the next subject to approach. The next subject in question happened to be another old, grizzled man. His beard long and unkempt as was his hair, a common sight among the people of her City. The old man clutched his rags to his chest as the ogres forced him to kneel before her once again.

Elsa looked at the man, her attention now fixed on him, like all other criminals that proceeded him. The man shuddered and trembled in response. Elsa sighed, she could read him like a book. He was guilty, clear as day.

"My Queen," The Scholar said, all in the Chamber remaining quiet as he spoke, including Hans. "I give to you, farmer Asgar. Son of the great Feytar who provided wheat and grain in the great drought forty years ago."

Interrupting, Elsa's eyes remained fixed on the old man. "A man will not be judged by the actions of his father. He has accomplished none of these feats. So speak of the man and not the father. Proceed."

Concerned, the Scholar continued. "Farmer Asgar, you have failed to provide the required supply of food for the people of Arendelle for the second time. You were warned in the last trial that any failure would result in more than the warning you received on your first visit. So, I advise you to speak your mind and explain why this has happened again."

Shaking from head to toe the man struggled to his feet, the guards looked at the Queen in question but Elsa waved them off. He was not a killer or a criminal after all. He deserved to be treated with at least a modicum of respect. But the knowledge that this was his second infraction caused a murmuring of anger to swell in her bosom.

"I… I… I tried, my Queen. After the trial a few months back… I tried everything to provide enough food for the people of the City. But I can't. It's impossible. You may not know this my Queen. But the weather in these part does not promote good farming."

Elsa, ignoring the stupid statement mixed in with his words, looked at the man and placed her palms together in concentration before resting them against her lips. Of course she knew that the weather in these parts made farming difficult, what a stupid thing to say. She knew far more than he could ever know.

She had been taught and schooled throughout her entire childhood and adolescence. Never once having a moment to herself, a moment to play or relax with friends. The insult was not meant to hurt but the Queen felt it and she was very angry.

"Then why was your father able to provide for us during the great drought so many years ago. When the weather was far worse than this. Why was your father able to provide enough wheat and grain to feed the entirety of the Capitol?" Elsa spoke with calm in her voice, but her eyes betrayed her feelings in ways that many could not yet perceive.

Only Hans recognised the tilt in her voice, but that was due to proximity, having spent a lot of time with Elsa during their youth.

"I'm… My father he… He was…"

"Why have other farmers met the very same quota without a single word of complaint? Please enlighten me on this. I'm afraid I am clueless as to the workings of obvious things in my own Kingdom. So, please, farmer Asgar, enlighten me."

Stuttering, realising now that he must have offended the Queen, Asgar stepped forward. Upon this action the ogres grabbed him by the scuff of his rags and pulled him back. Before more could be done, however, Elsa raised a hand for the ogres to stop. The ogres were about to break the man's legs, as they had been instructed to when anyone moved towards the Queen without express permission.

"I… I'm sorry, my Queen. I did not mean to…"

"I do not care," Elsa says, eyes scanning her nails before she looks back at the old man. "I am asking you to explain yourself. Why have you failed where other farmers have succeeded?"

Shaking, the man took some time to think about his next words and when he was even remotely sure… he then spoke. "My Queen, please. I can provide you all the grain and wheat you need. I will make it up to you in the next harvest. I will give you double the amount to make amends for my mistakes. I promise you."

Sighing, Queen Elsa looked down and fiddled with the end of her throne, picking at it with her nails. After some time passed, the Queen looked back at the farmer. "I agree to your terms. You will provide me twice the amount in wheat and grain only. The rest will remain the same. If you had been anyone other than Feytar's son… then I would have killed you as an example to the rest. Thank your father that you still keep your life."

"Of course, thank you my Queen. I will never forget this, I assure you."

"I hope you are right," The Queen says, no emotions crossing her face. "It seems even in death Fayter's reach extends even to that of my Hall of Judgement. You may leave now, return to your farm and prepare for the harvest. I will visit in a month's time to ensure that progress is being made."

As Elsa motioned for the ogres to take him away, unexpectedly the old man spoke again, stopping the remaining crowd who had been preparing for the next criminal. "My Queen. I'm afraid that will not work."

Confused, the first hint of an expression reaching her features, Elsa turned back towards the old man. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," The old man murmured. "I will not be acquiring the goods from my farm. So, if you were to visit my farm then I would not be there. And the crops would also not be there. I thought you should know less you think me a deserter. And I assure you my Queen, I am no deserter."

The crowd became silent, knowing full well what happened to people who tried to escape Arendelle. Many had heard the stories, for once all true, about how the Queen would call on her creatures of ice to find and kill the man or woman who attempted to leave her City. The creatures would first become wolves and track the target and then when they got closer… they would turn into any creature they desired, even dragons if they deemed it necessary, and have their fun.

"I'm confused," Elsa said wearily, scratching her head. "How would you acquire the necessary supplies if not on your farm?"

Smiling at this, the man finally divulged his plan. "I would acquire them from over the mountain's your grace. Where the weather is fair and the crops will grow to a state the likes of which you have never even seen before."

…

…

Suddenly Elsa stood up, her eyes wide and teeth gnarled. The crowd feared the moment the man had mentioned his plans to work over the mountains. That was a mistake, a stupid and ill-advised mistake. He should have left, should have worked on his farm and taken this opportunity for what it was. No other farmer would have received it and yet Asgar had squandered it the moment it was offered.

At the place where Elsa stood ice began to trickle along the floor, rising to climb the walls that surrounded them. A snap of cold descended across the Hall and the crowd of watchers clambered together for heat once more. The old man trembled, confused, watching as Elsa snarled in anger and gripped her fists together. Ice shot out of every direction, the golems trailing ice along the walls as well as Elsa. Hans watched on in amusement, he loved it when Elsa turned dark, it was such a turn on.

"YOU DO NOT NEED TO PRODUCE YOUR CROP ANYWHERE BUT HERE!" Elsa screamed, a sinister tilt to her voice unlike anything the room had heard before. "WE ARE SELF-SUFFICIENT! WE REQUIRE NOTHING FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD! FROM THE FILTH THAT LAYS OUTSIDE OUR WALLS! HOW DARE YOU SUGGEST SUCH A THING! HOW DARE YOU QUESTION THE FUNCTIONALITY OF MY CITY!"

Speechless, Asgar tried to speak but could not find the bravery nor the words to express anything. Opening and closing his mouth - like that of a fish - the old man started to cry, wet tears falling down his cheeks as he whimpered in desperation. Taking a step forward, ice trailing where her feet touched the ground, Elsa walked towards Asgar.

"YOU HAVE FAILED ME! YOU HAVE FAILED THIS COUNCIL! AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY OF ALL, YOU HAVE FAILED THE PEOPLE OF ARENDELLE," As Elsa moved closer, the ice that tricked along the walls gradually receded back into her. The golems following suit and the snap of cold disappearing from the Hall once more. "That cannot be forgiven. The punishment is clear. You must die."

"Wait! No! Please! I'll do anything! I'll grow crops on my farm! I take it back! I take it all back! I…"

Then, as Elsa spread her fingers and directed her hand at Asgar, ice began to trickle from the floor and rise up Asgar's leg. Screaming in pain, Asgar tried to stand, to get away but he was stuck. He couldn't move. Everyone watched on, the crowd watching in an odd combination of expectation and horror while the Council watched on uninterested in the event transpiring before them. That was hardly a surprise though. They had seen it far too many times to be affected by it now.

As the ice trailed over the old man's legs and torso, Elsa watched on ignoring his feeble pleas with a sneer of anger claiming her face. Elsa did not concede to the man's wishes, making him suffer a long and painful death without a hint of remorse. She wasn't called the Ice Queen for nothing, after all. And this name only solidified itself the longer the crowd watched.

But this was all normal to them by now. This was who Elsa was. A killer, a maniac and yet… the most powerful creature in the entire world. A creature of ice that could not be controlled, could not be over-thrown or even killed. This was the Queen to last many life times.

Queen Elsa.

* * *

.

.

.

As the trials continued and Elsa began to grow bored, a young woman came through the Queen's entrance way and kneeled to speak to her. This was Elsa's personal maid, someone she valued very highly among her order. So much so that Alice – for that was her name – was permitted many privileges that no maid would have ever received from their own masters.

Leaning to listen, the maid cupped her ear and whispered. "Elsa, It's done. She's ready and waiting for you in your bedchamber. I made sure everything was prepared for your arrival. She knows what's to be expected of her and will wait until you have finished, no matter how long that takes."

Stopping the maid from leaving, Elsa grabbed her retreating hand and pulled her close. "Thank you, Alice. I will come up right now. You are free to take the rest of the night off. Do whatever pleases you."

Smiling at this, Alice nodded and left the Hall through the Queen's entrance once again. Taking a moment to compose herself, Elsa stood up and left the Hall just as the man was in the middle of explaining himself. The council nodded to one another, not unused to the Queen getting up and leaving through the middle of Judgement.

They knew that the matters of state had been passed down to them for the rest of these trials. It had happened many times before. They would uphold Elsa's law as if it was their own, their own lives depended on it after all.

…

As Elsa walked through the long corridors of the Palace two sets of footsteps followed closely behind her. Elsa knew who it was immediately and waited by the staircase for the approaching figure. It was Han's of course, following her around like a lost, demanding puppy once again. "What do you want, Hans?"

Coming to a stop, breathing heavily despite his lean physique, Hans spoke. "I was wondering if you had need of me? The Council can deal with the people but, whatever it is you are up to, I'm ready and able. So, what do you say I come up and help you?"

' _Hans has absolutely no idea what I intend to do…'_

' _And if he did well… then he'd almost surely use it against me…'_

' _He can never know…'_

' _And, regardless, he is someone that cannot help me now…'_

' _He is a man, after all… And a man is not what I need…'_

Shaking her head, Elsa replied. "No, Hans. I'm afraid this matter requires my undivided attention and cannot wait."

"But I…"

"Goodnight, Hans. Now, make sure you return to the Hall of Judgement as they might have need of your… wisdom," Elsa commanded turning to take the stairs one at a time. "Oh, and Hans. I will know if you return to the Hall of Judgement or not. So do not even think of ignoring my command. You are already on thin ice as it is. And you know what happens when you step on thin ice, don't you?"

Gulping, Hans nodded and returned back down the corridor.

Watching him go, Elsa looked around her vicinity once again and jogged up the stairs. The vision of elegance and perfection sprinted down the corridor at incredible pace until she found herself situated at the foot of her door. Taking a deep breath of anticipation, Elsa opened the door and looked inside.

Inside Elsa's chambers stood a young girl with dark red hair, thin limbs and beautiful, porcelain skin. She was perfect. Elsa smiled at the sight but remained neutral when the young thing finally turned towards her, knocking into the dresser she had been inspecting. "Oh, my… My Queen… I didn't think you'd be here so early…"

Smiling, Elsa closed the door behind her and locked it. This was the one time, the one place where Elsa could allow herself to be free, to be happy. "It is quite alright, eh?"

"Charlotte!" The young red head said, nodding frantically despite her obvious nerves.

"Okay then Charlotte. It is a pleasure to meet you," Elsa reached out her hand for Charlotte to shake and the young girl did so quite gently. The young thing was clearly nervous, Elsa's reputation clearly preceded her. A sudden feeling of doubt crossed over her as she looked into the innocent, soft eyes of young Charlotte. Did she really know what was about to happen?

"Um, Charlotte, I…"

"Yes." Charlotte called, accidently interrupting Elsa which caused an embarrassed flush to crawl down Charlotte's face. "Sorry. I didn't mean to… I mean I would never… I'll just shut up now."

Smiling, Elsa moved a hand to stroke the young girl's face. "How young are you. Charlotte?"

"S-Sixteen, your majesty. I-I know I may not always act it but I am honestly sixteen."

Nodding, Elsa continued to rub the skin under her fingers, the ice around her hand melting away to reveal white alabaster skin underneath. "How long have you been sixteen for, Charlotte?"

"For…" Charlotte stuttered, trying to remember the correct number as she had always struggled in the orphanage. "For nine…? For nine days, your majesty."

Sighing, Elsa smiled fondly at the young girl, eyes rising to the one feature that drew her in like a moth to a flame…

…

Charlotte's vibrant red hair.

"Am I to understand," Elsa continued her fingers curling through Charlotte's luscious locks as she spoke. "That you have been told about this… arrangement that will exist between us."

"Yes, your majesty." Charlotte replied, blushing as Elsa moved into her personal space.

"If you are… then please, tell me of the arrangement. So that I am sure you know what you are getting yourself into before we start."

Nodding, her bottom lip gripped between her pearly white teeth, Charlotte looked at Elsa's beautiful face which was now no longer encased in ice. "From this moment on I will be your own personal mistress. I will do whatever you wish, how many times you like and without umbrage. And I will not speak a word of my position to anyone. I will keep my hair long and never change its colour. If I see you with another one of your mistresses, then I will not grow jealous. I will feel nothing but love and compassion for you."

"And…" Elsa motioned on, sitting down on the bed before placing the young girl on her lap to encourage greater intimacy.

"And… I will wear whatever you desire, fit any roll you desire without question. I will tell no one of what… of what…"

"Transpires." Elsa breathes, a hand opening Charlotte's legs while the other rose to cup her breasts underneath her shirt.

"Transpires! And I will accept any instrument you wish to use or insert into me. My wishes are no longer my own and have been claimed by you. Whatever you wish I will comply. No matter how… No matter how tiring or painful it may be. I renounce my name from this moment on, only within our private chambers, and will be called… be called… I'm sorry my Queen. I cannot remember the name again…"

…

…

"Anna. Your name is Anna."

"That's right, Anna. From this moment on my name is Anna and I will refer to you as Elsa. I will not use your title while alone together and will only speak the words 'Elsa' when addressing you. From this moment on I am yours, and yours alone. My existence in this world will extend to this room and my own personal quarters. No one will see me or be aware of my existence, except for those that you trust."

Smiling as she pushed her fingers into Charlotte's core, Elsa detached her lips from the nape of the redhead's neck to sleep. "Now seal it! Seal it and become mine."

Nodding, Charlotte turned in Elsa's arms, fingers still plugging away inside her, and spoke the words. "I Anna Arendelle belong to you, Elsa. May our love never die."

And with that Elsa pushed 'Anna' down onto the blankets and began what would be an exhausting night for both parties. This night would no longer be about when Elsa popped 'Anna's' cherry but about how many times Anna was brought to orgasm in one night. Only six hours later would Elsa find out the answer… as 'Anna' had long since been unconscious by this point. Not that Elsa minded, she rarely needed a captive audience to do the deed. All she need was sleek red hair, and the thought of Anna fresh in her mind.

* * *

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Author's Note: Wow! Eight hours later and I have finally finished this god damn chapter. I have to admit that the final part between Elsa and Charlotte was a complete spur of the moment decision. It was never supposed to even be included but after some deliberation I decided to write up as I went along and… well, here it is.

As you can see Elsa is still head over heels for Anna, someone she believes is long dead, and is now collecting look-a-likes to take her sister's place. I don't know how that thought even entered my mind while writing but I ran with it and find the results satisfying. Fingers crossed that people like it, and that they also like my version of Elsa. Anna's absence and her previous life have culminated in the creation of this darker Elsa, I'm hoping you'll like it or can at least see sense in it as she will be like this for a while.

Now, as of this moment, the next chapter will be the last one and after that I will reassess whether to continue this story or not. The reason for this is that I will be working a lot in the next couple of weeks, and have already promised Harry Potter fans that I will continue my lesbian Hermione story. So if you really want me to continue this story then please show your support, it would mean an awful lot to me because I really want this story to get off the ground. I have big plans for it but obviously if there is not a following then I will need to move into something more productive. I hope it doesn't come to this but we will see.

Furthermore, I am unsure, if I do continue, where exactly I am going with this story. I know major events and how they will transpire but I do not have the connectors quite yet. So it will be interesting to hear your ideas. I may even incorporate them into my story and give your proper acknowledgement in my Author's Note, so people will know who come up with the idea.

Also, apologies for the writing on this one but please understand that I spent eight… No, make that nine hours… writing this story in two sittings. The first one was six hours and the second one was three hours. Which is somewhat of a relief because I have a lot planned over the holiday and won't be able to write for the next two weeks. So, once again, apologies for the writing and lack of a coherent sentence structure but I hope to improve in the future and possibly stream line some of my writing to make it easier to read.

Any way. Thank you all for reading and I hope you look forward to the next chapter. Byeeeeee.


	4. Message to Readers

**Message to Readers**

Hello everyone, Miracles79 here.

To some of you, it must be quite a surprise to hear from me again. I have been away for quite some time, after all. However, I wanted to inform you of some recent developments that have happened in my life.

For the last couple of months, I have been looking at ways to expand my writing and imagination away from pre-existing worlds and characters. To put it simply... I wanted to write something that was truly mine and not someone else's intellectual property.

So, after much thought and consideration, I decided to write an original story called...

'The Siren's Calling'

...

I won't give too much away but if you like mystery, discovery and the forging of bonds between different cultures then this is the story for you. I consider it my best work by a considerable distance. If you do not believe me then feel free to have a look.

The first three chapters of this story come without charge and can be found on my Archive Of Our Own page under Miracles79. Originally, there was only one free chapter but I decided to extend the number to allow you, the readers, to have more time to decide whether you would be interested to learn more.

After the three chapters, however, all future chapters will be available on my P-a-t-r-e-o-n Page. Exclusively. As will many other stories, such as 'At Night, I Cast No Shadow' and various short stories. There is also a competition you can be a part of if you would like.

You can learn more about this, and my other story, on my P-a-t-r-e-o-n Page. The amount required to read my stories will also be very small and fixed. Meaning there will be no changes to the fee, regardless of its popularity or lack thereof.

If you have any questions please feel free to direct them to me and I will answer in as timely a fashion as possible. Until then, I wish you all the best and I hope you will give the story a chance. Apologies if I got your hopes up for a revival of this story, as that was not my intention, but I wanted everyone who has read my works to know of my original story.

Also, apologies if I got your hopes up for a revival of one of my stories which have not been updated in a year, as that was not my intention. I simply wanted everyone who has read my works to know of this original story. To see if they would be interested.

(Although, fans of Till My Dying Day, there is every chance I will be back to write that story very soon :D )

That is all from me. I wanted this to be a quick and to the point message. Rather than an endless ramble which my Author's Notes usually descend in to.

So, to my fans and readers, thank you very much for looking through this message and I hope to hear from you soon.

.

 **Archive Of Our Own - Miracles79 - The Siren's Calling**


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